Who is NTA's chairperson Pradeep Kumar Joshi who its new DG Pradeep Kharola will report to?

The Centre has appointed Pradeep Kharola, an IAS officer, as the Interim Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA). He will report to NTA Chairperson Pradeep Kumar Joshi.

Kharola was appointed after the NTA's DG Subodh Kumar was sacked amid allegations of paper leaks and widespread irregularities in the holding of exams like NEET-UG and UGC-NET. Probes in the alleged irregularities in both the exams have been handed to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Joshi is the overall chief of the NTA, the federal government body that conducts most of the public examinations in the country. He is the former head of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Who is NTA's Chairperson Pradeep Kumar Joshi?

NTA Chairperson Joshi is an academic who has held numerous administrative posts throughout his career. He has also been part of numerous government committees.

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Prior to NTA, Joshi was appointed as a member of the UPSC in 2020. He assumed charge as the Chairman of UPSC in 2020.

Before NTA and UPSC, Joshi served as Chairman of Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission and also as the Chairman of Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission. He was also the Director of National Institute of Educational Planning & Administration (NIEPA) under Ministry of Human Resources Development.

Joshi brings with himself teaching and research experience of more than 28 years. He has expertise in fields of Financial Management, Financial Control, Management Accounting, Taxation, Rural Development Management, Management in Panchayati Raj Institution & Khadi Gramodyog etc.

Joshi is an alumnus of the Kanpur University, Kanpur. He did his postgraduation in commerce in 1977 and received his Ph.D in commerce in 1981.

As an academic administrator, Joshi has served as the Chairman, Board of Studies, and Chairman, R.D.C. in Business Administration at Rani Durgavati University in Madhya Pradesh. Previously, he had also served in the Department of Business Administration at Rohilkhand University in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly and in Bareilly College as Reader.

In his long academic and administrative career, Joshi has also been part of the following state- and national-level committees: