The Union government has appointed Sandip Kumar Mishra as the director of the National Testing Agency (NTA), marking a significant step in the agency’s restructuring process. The decision follows recommendations by a high-level committee formed in June 2024 to address allegations of irregularities and improve NTA’s operations.

Mishra, an IRS (Income Tax) officer of the 2007 batch, will succeed Pradeep Singh Kharola as the NTA director. He will serve a five-year term or until further orders. Prior to this appointment, Mishra was serving as Joint Commissioner of Income Tax. A Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) alumnus, he brings a wealth of administrative experience to his new role.

The government notification stated, “Sandip Kumar Mishra IRS (IT) (2007) has been selected for appointment as director in the National Testing Agency under the Department of Higher Education, Delhi, under the central staffing scheme for a period of five years from the date of taking over charge or until further orders”.

The government also appointed three joint directors Archana Shukla, Amit Kumar, and Shivani who will serve four-year terms.

The restructuring comes after the NTA faced scrutiny for allegations of malpractice in exams, including the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) and the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) held earlier this year. These controversies led to the removal of Subodh Kumar Singh as NTA chief in June, with Kharola stepping in temporarily.

To address these issues, the government formed a seven-member panel in June, chaired by former ISRO chairman Dr. K. Radhakrishnan. The committee submitted its report on October 21, recommending several measures to streamline NTA operations. One key recommendation was to limit

NTA’s role to conducting entrance exams for higher education institutions, excluding recruitment exams, starting in 2025.

The NTA’s restructuring under Mishra’s leadership is expected to enhance its integrity and efficiency as it continues to oversee critical exams for India’s higher education system.