The Centre has once again changed the top bureaucrat overseeing higher education, appointing 1993-batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer Deepti Gaur Mukherjee to the post late Monday. She will take over from Naresh Pal Gangwar, who was given the charge only 17 days ago when the NEET retest controversy was at its peak.

Mukherjee, who was serving as secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, will now head the Department of Higher Education, which administers matters related to the National Testing Agency (NTA), the body responsible for conducting the NEET-UG examination among other exams.

Officials described the latest move as part of a “broader administrative reshuffle” rather than a decision linked to the NEET controversy. However, it may be recalled that days after his appointment, Gangwar faced criticism following reports that alleged that members of his family had received more than Rs.1.16 crore in subsidies through a National Horticulture Board scheme related to commercial crop cultivation.

It may be recollected that Gangwar’s appointment on July 23 had come amid intense student protests over allegations of irregularities and a paper leak in the medical entrance examination. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, however, did not indicate Gangwar’s next assignment.

Before moving to the higher education department, Gangwar served as Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The leadership changes come against the backdrop of the NEET-UG row, which prompted protests by students and led to a CBI investigation into alleged paper leaks. The examination, which drew more than 22 lakh registered candidates, was followed by a re-test on June 21 with the results announced on July 16.

The government has also taken steps to tighten examination security, including amendments to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. A high-level panel was additionally formed to recommend measures aimed at strengthening India’s examination system.

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