NEW DELHI — In a significant administrative move, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the induction of two senior bureaucrats as Joint Secretaries to the National Testing Agency (NTA) under the Department of Higher Education.
The official order, issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), comes at a crucial time as the apex testing body faces intense public scrutiny over the conduct and integrity of major national-level competitive exams.
The New Leadership Upgrades
The government has cleared the following high-level appointments to reinforce the NTA’s top management:
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Ms. Anuja Bapat, ISS (1998 batch): Appointed as Joint Secretary, NTA. A seasoned Indian Statistical Service officer, her tenure is set for five years (or until further orders) from the date she assumes charge.
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Ms. Ruchita Vij, IRS (C&IT) (2004 batch): Appointed as Joint Secretary, NTA. An Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes) officer, she will also serve a five-year tenure under identical terms.
To accommodate these senior appointments, the central government has authorized the temporary upgradation of two vacant Deputy Secretary/Director-level posts to the rank of Joint Secretary for an initial period of two years.
