UGC-NET Row: NTA removes over 50 staff, fills 10 new leadership roles

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has implemented significant changes following examination disruptions, removing over 50 staff members and creating 10 new leadership roles, officials confirmed on Monday. The new positions include Chief Technology Officer, Chief Finance Officer, CISO, GM, Test Security, GM, R&D and Psychometrics, among others. This move was prompted by a series of issues, such as errors in UGC-NET question papers and a leak of the NEET-UG 2026 paper, according to the Union education ministry.

The re-examination of UGC NET papers in English, Commerce, and Sociology was announced after an NTA panel discovered mistakes in the question papers. Union education minister Pralhad Joshi reviewed the agency's corrective measures alongside the higher education secretary and other senior officials. In response, the ministry directed the testing body to overhaul its operations, hire domain experts from the private sector, and establish strict compliance with exam protocols.

These changes, including a complete overhaul of the Confidential Operations (CONOPS) framework, involve secure procedures for exam preparation and delivery. NTA will also conduct a thorough audit of all processes and submit a report on corrective actions within 30 days. The next UGC NET re-exam for the cancelled three papers is scheduled for September 9 and 10.

The ministry spokesperson clarified that the agency would try to place candidates in their preferred cities for the re-exam, though reimbursement for additional travel and accommodation expenses remains unclear.