NTA gets new joint directors amid NEET UG 2026 paper leak row

Days after the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2026 over alleged paper leak reports, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) designated Akash Jain and Aditya Rajendra Bhojgadhiya, as Joint Directors in the NTA.

According to an official statement, both the appointments are made under the Department of Higher Education, and are on a "lateral shift" basis under the Central Staffing Scheme.

Akash Jain is a 2013-batch Indian Revenue Service (Internal Taxation) officer. He will serve in his new role until December 4, 2029, or until further orders, the statement reads.

The government has also posted four officers to the NTA, including two Joint Secretary level officers and two director-level officers.

“The Joint Secretary-level officers will be designated as Additional Director Generals as per the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee,” according to an official notification.

These postings substantially enhance the senior bandwidth available to the NTA, with experienced officers bringing strong administrative backgrounds drawn from the Central services and inter-Ministry experience, it said.

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His tenure represents the balance period of his four-year deputation under the Central Staffing Scheme at the Deputy Secretary level, it added.

Aditya Rajendra Bhojgadhiya, a 2013-batch officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA and AS), has been appointed until May 16, 2028. This timeline completes his total permissible six-year tenure away from his parent cadre at the Deputy Secretary level, the statement reads.

Moreover, Anuja Bapat has also been appointed as Joint Secretary of the NTA under the Department of Higher Education, from the date of assumption of the charge of the post, for a tenure of five years or until further orders, whichever is earlier, another official statement reads.

While, Ruchita Vij has also been given the charge of Joint Secretary, NTA under the Department of Higher Education, from the date of assumption of the charge of the post, for a tenure of five years or until further orders, whichever is earlier, it added.

Days after NEET UG 2026 was held on May 3, a Rajasthan-based Special Operations Group (SOG) presented an investigation report of what it suspects to be a case of paper leak before the test.

Following which the NTA had to cancel the MBBS admission test for which nearly 22.79 lakh aspirants took part. Currently, the NEET UG 2026 paper leak case is being handled by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The CBI has arrested two kingpins of the NEET UG 2026 paper leak case and the investigation is in process.