The Centre appointed IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar as Higher Education Secretary amid the NEET-UG paper leak controversy. The bureaucratic reshuffle comes as nationwide student protests continue, with the government also announcing fast-track courts and stricter action against paper leak offenders. Centre Replaces Education Secretary Vineet Joshi As NEET Paper Leak Protests Continue
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Thursday appointed IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar as the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, according to an official government notification. The move marks a major bureaucratic shuffle amid the ongoing NEET-UG paper leak protests and demands for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, news agency ANI reported.
Gangwar’s predecessor, Vineet Joshi, a 1992-batch officer, has now been transferred as Secretary in the Department of Panchayati Raj. Quick answers to key questions
Naresh Pal Gangwar is a 1994-batch IAS officer recently appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education. Students are protesting due to ongoing demands for accountability and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG paper leak controversy. Gangwar holds a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication from IIT Roorkee, a Master’s in Communication and Radar Engineering from IIT Delhi, and another Master’s in Economics from the University of Rajasthan.
The government has set up fast-track courts to expedite legal proceedings related to paper leaks and is implementing stricter punishments for offenders involved. While specific changes are not detailed, Gangwar’s appointment comes alongside increasing scrutiny of the education ministry, suggesting possible reforms may be on the horizon.
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Here’s what we know about Naresh Pal Gangwar, the new education secretary According to his profile on worldbank.org, Gangwar is a 1994-batch Rajasthan cadre officer who served as Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The new education secretary holds a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree in Electronics and Communication from IIT Roorkee. He also holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Radar Engineering from IIT Delhi. He also has another Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Rajasthan. Gangwar has previously served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, where he headed divisions such as pollution control and hazardous substances management.
Before his role as Joint Secretary, he worked as Principal Secretary for the Rajasthan government and was instrumental in initiating key policies for the development of solar energy during the initial phase of the National Solar Mission between 2010 and 2014. Students’ protest intensifies across India The major rejig in the education system comes at a time when the Education Ministry is under intense scrutiny, with students protesting across the country, demanding accountability and seeking the resignation of the Education Minister over alleged irregularities in the recent NEET-UG paper leak controversy. Since 20 June, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a movement which began following the remarks of the Chief Justice of India (CJI), Surya Kant, has been staging a protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital. The protest was later joined by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who went on an indefinite hunger strike on 28 June and ended it on 23 July.
Earlier this week, students carried out a “Chalo Sansad” march on Monday, following which the Delhi Police and the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) resorted to a lathi-charge and tear gas to stop the protesters, a move that is now being condemned by opposition leaders. On Thursday, the CJP spokesperson said that the Centre has agreed to the movement’s proposal to meet, and a meeting is scheduled to take place on Friday at the Constitution Club of India. While Wangchuk ended his hunger strike in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh at Medanta Hospital, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke reiterated that the protests would continue unless their demands were met.
CJP founder claims corruption against new education secretary On Friday, Dipke claimed that Gangwar has multi-crore corruption charges against him. In a post on X, he wrote, “The government is rewarding corruption instead of ensuring accountability! Last night, the Education Secretary was transferred.
He was replaced by an IAS officer from the Animal Husbandry Department who has severe multi-crore corruption charges against him. The entire crisis around paper leaks and NEET was about systemic corruption. Replacing one bureaucrat with another facing serious corruption allegations is a direct INSULT to young people across India.”
He added, “Is this the ‘compromise’ the government expects us to accept? This is not accountability. We will not stop until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.”
PM Modi vows strict action against offenders On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also released a video on his social media account, vowing strict punishment for offenders involved in paper leaks. He also added that the government has decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment. Meanwhile, a fast-track court has been established at the Rouse Avenue Court Complex to hear cases under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, along with other related offences.
All such cases will be transferred to the designated special fast-track court. Gangwar’s appointment comes as the Centre steps up administrative and legal measures to address the paper leak controversy amid continuing nationwide student protests.
(with agency inputs)
About the Author Swati Gandhi
Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership. Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.
At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.
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Stay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news. Follow CJP Protest LIVE updates as Sonam Wangchuk ends his 26-day hunger strike following government assurances, while the Jantar Mantar protest continues. Get the latest updates on talks between the CJP delegation and the Centre, the demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, possible arrests, Delhi security measures and developments in Parliament.
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