The NEET-UG exam paper leak and passing students with grace marks has been a major issue throughout the country for the past few days. Candidates, the National Testing Agency (NTA), and the government are all under scrutiny. A CBI inquiry has been requested by the parents and the students, and the dispute has reached the Supreme Court, raising the possibility of this year’s exam being canceled. The future of around 25 lakh students is at risk. The police have found clues about the paper leak and arrested about 25 people from two states.

Amidst the controversy, one person has been in the spotlight for several days. NTA Director IAS Subodh Kumar Singh has faced heavy criticism from the parents of students who took the exam. They are angry with him due to the paper leak and result irregularities.

Who Is Subodh Kumar And What Is His Involvement In NEET 2024 Controversy?

Subodh Kumar Singh is a 1997 batch IAS officer from the Chhattisgarh cadre. He comes from Kanpur district in Uttar Pradesh and has served as the Additional Secretary in the Union Food Ministry. Currently, he is the Director of the National Testing Agency (NTA). Subodh earned his BE-ME in Electrical Engineering from IIT Roorkee, one of the top institutes in the country, and an MBA in Business Administration from IGNOU.

He became an IAS officer after passing the UPSC exam in 1997, and in 1998, he got his first appointment as Assistant Collector in Mandla district. He then served as the SDO of Korea, and after the formation of Chhattisgarh as a separate state, he became the first District Panchayat CEO of Bastar. In 2002, he became the Collector of Raigarh. He has also been the Director of Markfed and is now the Director of NTA.

#WATCH | Delhi: On NEET issue, NTA DG Subodh Kumar Singh says, “Our committee met and they perused all the details of the centres and the CCTVs… They found out that at some centres the time was lost and the students should be compensated for that… The committee thought they… pic.twitter.com/LaVhlwF1eQ

— ANI (@ANI) June 8, 2024

According to media reports, NTA Director IAS Subodh Kumar Singh held a press conference after the controversy arose and denied any paper leak. He stated that the issue only involved 6 centers and 1600 students. At these centers, the paper was delayed, and 1600 students passed with grace marks. Following his statement, parents criticized him, calling him illiterate and demanding his resignation.

Also Read: Supreme Court Declines To Halt NEET Counselling, Cites No Link To Kota Suicide