The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved key appointments in the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Saturday under the department of higher education amid the ongoing NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy. Anuja Bapat, an Indian Statistical Service (ISS) officer of the 1998 batch, and Ruchita Vij, an Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes) officer of the 2004 batch, have been appointed as joint secretaries in the NTA for five years. Additionally, Akash Jain, an Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) officer of the 2013 batch, and Aditya Rajendra Bhojadhiya, an Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS) officer of the 2013 batch, have been appointed as joint directors in the agency. These appointments represent a significant restructuring of the NTA's leadership team during this challenging period, with the appointments announced through an order issued by the Personnel Ministry.
The appointments come in response to the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak that resulted in the cancellation of the exam held on May 3. The exam was administered by the NTA across the country, affecting nearly 23 lakh candidates who had registered for the test. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case and formed teams to probe the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) paper leak, with the investigation intensifying as the case widens. The staffing overhaul follows criticism directed at the examination agency after NEET-UG was cancelled over accusations that the test paper had been circulated in several states before the examination.
On Friday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) announced it has identified and arrested the kingpin behind the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. The accused, PV Kulkarni, is a Chemistry lecturer involved with the examination process on behalf of the National Testing Agency and allegedly had access to the NEET-UG 2026 question papers. According to the CBI, during the last week of April 2026, Kulkarni and another accused, Manisha Waghmare, organised special coaching classes for selected students at his residence in Pune. The agency reported that during these coaching sessions, he dictated questions along with options and correct answers, with the questions handwritten by students in their notebooks exactly matching the actual Chemistry paper of the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3, 2026. Kulkarni, originally from Latur, was arrested in Pune after extensive interrogation, with the CBI conducting searches at various locations across the country resulting in the seizure of numerous incriminating documents, electronic devices, and mobile phones.
The appointments coincide with public protests outside the NTA office in Delhi by members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI). The protesters displayed a lock and chain symbolising the shutting down of the agency, held placards, and raised slogans criticising the NTA and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the irregularities. The protesters accused the Centre and NTA of incompetence, called for a ban on the agency, and demanded the resignation of the Education Minister amid the ongoing investigation. Police detained several protesters following a scuffle during the demonstration, as reported by multiple sources.
