In the midst of ongoing nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, the Centre has effected a key bureaucratic reshuffle in the Education Ministry, removing Vineet Joshi as Secretary of the Department of Higher Education.
As per an official order issued late Thursday night, Naresh Pal Gangwar has been appointed as the new Higher Education Secretary. He replaces Joshi, who has now been shifted to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj as Secretary. Joshi will succeed Vivek Bhardwaj, who is due to retire on July 31, 2026.
Gangwar, a 1994-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, was earlier serving as Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. He brings with him prior experience as Joint Secretary in the Environment Ministry and holds academic degrees from IIT Roorkee, IIT Delhi and the University of Rajasthan.
The reshuffle comes at a time when protests by students have intensified across several parts of the country, with demands for accountability over the alleged NEET paper leak and calls for reform in the examination system.
In a parallel development, T.K. Anil Kumar has been appointed as Secretary in the Department of School Education and Literacy. He was previously Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development. The post had remained vacant since the retirement of Sanjay Kumar on June 30, with Joshi holding additional charge in the interim.
Joshi, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Manipur cadre, had taken over as Higher Education Secretary in January 2025. He was also given additional responsibility as Chairman of the University Grants Commission in April the same year. Over the years, he has held several key positions, including Chief Secretary of Manipur, Director-General of the National Testing Agency (NTA), and Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on two occasions.
Meanwhile, legal and administrative action around the NEET controversy is also gathering pace. The Delhi High Court has constituted a fast-track court to exclusively hear cases related to examination paper leaks under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. The law provides for stringent penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh.
On the ground, protests continue at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, where students and youth organisations have been assembling in large numbers. Apart from the NEET issue, demonstrators have raised broader concerns such as unemployment and alleged flaws in evaluation processes.
The agitation, which began in early June, gained further momentum after social activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest with an indefinite hunger strike. Tensions escalated earlier this week after clashes between protesters and police, during which tear gas was used, and several people reportedly sustained injuries.
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