Who Is Pradeep Singh Kharola, The New National Testing Agency Chief

Subodh Kumar Singh, Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA), was replaced by retired Indian Administration Service (IAS) officer Pradeep Singh Kharola on Saturday. 

The Centre replaced the NTA chief after facing backlash and protests in several parts over the alleged irregularities in NEET-UG and the cancellation of the UGC-NET Exam.

The official statement by the government read, “The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the following: Assignment of additional charge of the post of Director General, National Testing Agency, Ministry of Education to Shri Pradeep Singh Kharola. IAS (KN:85) (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, India Trade Promotion Organisation till the appointment of a regular incumbent or until further orders, whichever is earlier.”

Who is Pradeep Singh Kharola?

• Born in 1961, Pradeep Singh Kharola is a 1985-batch IAS officer belonging to the Karnataka cadet. He graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from Indore University in 1982.

• The Chairman and Managing Editor of the India Trade Promotion Organisation, the 63-year-old has also served as the Secretary to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation. From 2001 to 2004, he was the director of the Union Ministry of Tourism.

• Mr Kharola, who has also served as the Joint Secretary of the National Administrative Reform Commission, in 2012, received the National Award for e-governance.

• Mr Kharola, who pursued Post Graduation in Industrial Engineering from IIT Delhi in 1984, also won the Prime Minister’s Outstanding Public Administration Award.

• In addition, Pradeep Singh Kharola has also done a Masters in Development Management from the Asian Institute of Management in Manila, Philippines.