The Centre appoints two directors and a joint director to the National Testing Agency (NTA), an agency facing scrutiny over issues connected to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The personnel ministry issues separate orders dated August 27 for the new roles, and the appointments are framed as part of broader steps to strengthen NTA’s functioning.
Ravi Kumar Singh (IPS) and Prasanna Venkatesh V (IAS) are appointed as directors, while Amit Samdariya (Indian Revenue Service, Customs and Indirect Taxes) is appointed as joint director. The orders note that the officers must take up their positions within three weeks; otherwise, the government can initiate a debarment process under the Central Staffing Scheme.
In parallel, the government is undertaking examination reforms at the NTA, including changes to paper evaluation and management processes, and the involvement of specialists. Reports say these reforms include tighter checking, removing a group of experts, and reorganising the evaluation structure. While outlets largely focus on the administrative strengthening, they also link the timing of the appointments to ongoing public attention on NEET and examination integrity.
