Amid the NEET-UG, UGC NET, and CSIR UGC NET cancellation and postponement, the Ministry of Education has appointed retired Indian Administrative Officer Pradeep Singh Kharola as the new director general of the National Testing Agency. He has replaced Subodh Kumar Singh, who is a native of Uttar Pradesh. While the alleged paper leak matter is yet to be solved, the Ministry has put Singh on compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel and Training. While Kharola, a 1985 batch IAS officer of the Karnataka Cadre was appointed as the head of Air India in November 2017. He also worked as the managing director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation. NEET 2024 | CBI takes over NEET UG probe| Glaring gaps in NEET exam centres | Education Minister takes responsibility | Candidates memorised NEET answers in Bihar | Congress nationwide protest | NEET PG postponed | Candidates response In 2019, IAS officer Pradeep Singh was appointed as the new civil aviation secretary. He was again in 2022 shifted to the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) as the chairman. Since then he has been serving in the Organisation and now has been assigned an additional charge of the National Testing Agency till the appointment of a regular incumbent. Apart from expertise, Kharola also received the coveted National Award for e-governance in 2012 and in 2013, he received the Prime Minister's Outstanding Public Administration Award.
