Vineet Joshi removed as higher education secretary amid NEET row
UPSC / SSC current affairs note · Polity
Why in news
The Centre removed higher education secretary Vineet Joshi amid controversies including NEET-UG paper leaks and student protests. He was replaced by Naresh Pal Gangwar, while T K Anil Kumar became school education secretary.
Background
Vineet Joshi is a 1992-batch IAS officer who held key roles including CBSE chairman, first NTA director-general, and acting UGC chairman. He also served as Manipur chief secretary in 2023 during ethnic violence.
Key facts
Vineet Joshi was removed as higher education secretary on July 24, 2026, amid NEET-UG paper leak controversy.
He was appointed secretary in the Panchayati Raj ministry after removal.
Joshi was a 1992-batch IAS officer and had additional charge as school education secretary after Sanjay Kumar retired on June 30.
As NTA director-general, he introduced CUET for undergraduate admissions but faced criticism over technical issues.
Naresh Kumar Gangwar (1994-batch Rajasthan-cadre IAS) replaced Joshi as higher education secretary.
T K Anil Kumar took charge as school education secretary.
Gangwar previously served as secretary in the animal husbandry ministry; media reports said three family members received over ₹1.16 crore in subsidies under the National Horticulture Board scheme.
Joshi served as Manipur chief secretary in 2023 during ethnic violence.
Prelims pointers
- National Testing Agency (NTA)
- Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
- University Grants Commission (UGC)
- Common University Entrance Test (CUET)
- NEET-UG
- Panchayati Raj ministry
- National Horticulture Board scheme
Mains angles
- Discuss the role of bureaucratic accountability in exam irregularities like NEET-UG paper leaks.
- Examine the impact of frequent transfers of senior bureaucrats on policy continuity in education.
- Analyze the challenges in conducting large-scale entrance exams in India and the role of NTA.