NEET Paper Leak Case: Gangwar Appointed Higher Education Secretary, Replaces Joshi

The Centre on Thursday announced a significant bureaucratic reshuffle in the Ministry of Education amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the alleged NEET paper leak. Senior IAS officer Naresh Kumar Gangwar has been appointed as the new Higher Education Secretary, replacing Vineet Joshi, who has been transferred to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj as its secretary. At the same time, T K Anil Kumar has been named the new School Education Secretary.

Before the reshuffle, Vineet Joshi was serving as the Higher Education Secretary while also overseeing the School Education Department following the retirement of Sanjay Kumar on June 30. In addition to these responsibilities, he was functioning as the acting Chairperson of the University Grants Commission (UGC). Government officials confirmed that Joshi will now head the Ministry of Panchayati Raj as its secretary. Gangwar, who previously served as Secretary in the Ministry of Animal Husbandry, will now take charge of the Higher Education Department. T K Anil Kumar, who was serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development, has been entrusted with leading the School Education Department.

The administrative changes come at a time when the Ministry of Education is facing mounting criticism over the alleged NEET paper leak and concerns related to irregularities in the evaluation of CBSE board examinations. The issue has sparked widespread protests by students and political parties, putting the government's examination system under intense public scrutiny.

Vineet Joshi has held several important positions in India's education sector during his career. He previously served as the Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). In 2023, he was appointed Chief Secretary of Manipur during a period of heightened ethnic tensions in the northeastern state. The opposition has continued to demand a discussion on the NEET paper leak in Parliament and has sought the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging that the government failed to adequately address the controversy.

Meanwhile, sources said a delegation of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has been leading protests over the alleged paper leak, is scheduled to meet government ministers on Friday. The meeting is expected to take place at 12:30 pm, although officials have not disclosed the venue. According to sources, the talks follow extensive backchannel discussions aimed at breaking the deadlock over the issue. The CJP has been staging a sit-in protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of the Education Minister and calling for sweeping reforms in India's education and examination systems.

The Delhi High Court has designated a special fast-track court to exclusively hear criminal cases related to examination paper leaks and other unfair practices in public examinations. The court of Judicial Officer Anu Grover Baliga at the Rouse Avenue Court Complex will handle cases registered under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, along with connected offences. The notification comes into effect immediately.

The decision follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that dedicated fast-track courts would be established to ensure swift prosecution of those involved in examination malpractices. Addressing the issue, the Prime Minister said the welfare of the country's youth remains a top priority for the government and warned that individuals attempting to jeopardize students' futures through paper leaks or other illegal activities would face strict legal action. He also directed the concerned authorities to take all necessary steps to strengthen the integrity of public examinations and prevent such incidents from recurring.