NTA sacks 47 officials, hires GMs and young professionals after NEET leak
UPSC / SSC current affairs note · Governance
Why in news
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has terminated 47 officials and is restructuring its workforce with specialist leadership in cybersecurity, forensic investigation, test-centre operations, and assessment research. This follows the NEET-UG paper leak that forced a re-examination of nearly 20 lakh candidates.
Background
The NEET-UG exam held on May 3, 2025, was cancelled due to a paper leak, and a re-test was conducted on June 21, 2025. The NTA has faced criticism over its handling of national entrance exams, leading to a crackdown and restructuring.
Key facts
NTA terminated 47 officials; some face legal and criminal action based on internal inquiries and inputs from investigating agencies.
First phase of rebuilding includes hiring 4 General Managers (GMs) and 16 young professionals via UPSC's Pratibha Setu portal.
Recruitment overseen by K Radhakrishnan-led monitoring committee; first meeting scheduled for July 26, 2025.
GMs will head verticals: assessment & psychometrics, test-centre operations, information security, and vigilance & investigation.
GMs appointed on three-year contracts.
Assessment & psychometrics head will manage question banks, normalisation, equating, calibration, computer-adaptive testing, and AI-assisted assessment.
Test-centre operations head will oversee NTA's network across 500+ cities and select overseas centres.
Information security head (CISO) responsible for systems, networks, applications, candidate data, 24/7 SOC, and compliance with data protection, IT, and CERT-In requirements.
Vigilance & investigation head will handle forensic investigation and vigilance matters.
Prelims pointers
- NTA: National Testing Agency
- NEET-UG: National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate medical courses
- UPSC Pratibha Setu portal: used for recruitment of young professionals
- K Radhakrishnan-led monitoring committee
- CERT-In: Indian Computer Emergency Response Team
- Roles: General Manager (GM), Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Mains angles
- GS2: Issues relating to development and management of social sector/services relating to education; transparency and accountability in public institutions.
- GS3: Challenges to internal security through communication networks; role of cybersecurity in protecting examination integrity.
- GS4: Ethics in public administration; measures to prevent corruption and paper leaks.