Mega Overhaul at NTA: 47 Officials Axed, Fast-Track Courts Set Up in Sweeping Anti-Paper Leak Crackdown
Mumbai: In a major move aimed at closing structural loopholes and eliminating future examination leaks, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has terminated 47 officials from service. Official sources revealed on Friday that several of these individuals will also face criminal and legal action.
The mass terminations form part of a total administrative overhaul of the testing agency, which has faced intense scrutiny and widespread public backlash following paper leak controversies surrounding the NEET-UG examination.
“Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth! We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks… Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared,”Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Key Anti-Leak & Overhaul Decisions
| Initiative / Action | Details & Current Status |
| NTA Personnel Clean-up | 47 officials dismissed; criminal proceedings initiated against select key perpetrators. |
| Specialized Fast-Track Court | Dedicated court set up at Rouse Avenue Courts, New Delhi, headed by Special Judge Anu Grover Baliga. |
| Legislative Reforms | Cabinet approved amendments to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. |
| Bureaucratic Reshuffle | Top leadership changed: Naresh Pal Gangwar takes over Higher Education; TK Anil Kumar named School Education Secretary. |
| CBI Probe & Re-exam | 13 primary suspects jailed; re-examination executed within 37 days to safeguard the academic calendar. |
Fast-Track Courts & Stricter Laws Approved
The government’s crackdown gained major legal traction after the Union Cabinet approved amendments to strengthen the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. The proposed amendment bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament early next week.
Acting on the Centre’s directives, the Delhi High Court notified a dedicated Fast Track Court at the Rouse Avenue Court Complex to try offences related to paper leaks. Anu Grover Baliga, formerly Judge In-Charge of the Mediation Centre at Tis Hazari Court, has been transferred to serve as the Special Judge presiding over these cases. All pending and connected cases under the anti-paper leak act are being transferred to this designated court immediately.
Student Protests and Dialogue with CJP
The sweeping policy shifts follow sustained demonstrations in the national capital, including a 26-day hunger strike by activist Sonam Wangchuk, which concluded on Thursday night.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Minister Jitendra Singh engaged in a two-hour deliberation with representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Speaking after the meeting, Minister Nadda confirmed that the delegation presented three core demands and five actionable suggestions for examination reforms. CJP Spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka noted that the government has agreed in principle to two of their primary demands, with further discussions scheduled.
Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol reiterated the Centre’s commitment, emphasizing that while enforcement remains strict with multiple arrests made by a CBI Special Investigation Team (SIT) the government prioritized holding re-tests and declaring results within weeks so that millions of students did not lose an academic year.
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