Naresh Pal Gangwar Takes Charge as Higher Education Secretary After Vineet Joshi's Exit Amid CJP Protest

THE COCKROACH JANTA PARTY (CJP) protest over the NEET paper leak controversy has raged across the country these past few days. On July 23, 2026, Thursday, the government took a significant step and shifted Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed Naresh Pal Gangwar as the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education on July 23, 2026. 

The bureaucratic reshuffle comes as nationwide student protests continue, with the government also launching fast-track courts and stricter action against paper leak offenders. Vineet Joshi, a 1992-batch officer of the Manipur cadre, was appointed Secretary in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on July 23, 2026. 

On the other hand, Gangwar, a 1994-batch officer of the West Bengal cadre, previously served as the Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. Joshi was also holding the charge of school education secretary after Sanjay Kumar retired from the post on June 30, 2026. Vivek Joshi is the acting chairperson of the University Grant Commission (UGC) appointed on April 11, 2025.

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Who is Secretary of Department of Higher Education Naresh Pal Gangwar?

Naresh Pal Gangwar has a strong academic background. He holds a BTech degree in Electronics and Communication from University of Roorkee. He completed a MTech degree  in Communication from IIT Delhi. After that, he later earned an MA in Economics from the University of Rajasthan. After spending nearly three decades in public services, Gangwar has held several key assignments in both the Rajasthan government and at the Centre.

Gangwar has also served as Principal Secretary in the Rajasthan government and later joined the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as Joint Secretary. More recently, he headed the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, overseeing policy relating to animal health,  livestock, and dairy development.

Naresh Pal Gangwar has an excellent academic knowledge and his blend of engineering and economics has shaped a career spanning environmental governance, policy implementation, state administration.

See also: CJP Delegation to Meet Union Ministers Today as Govt Plans Tougher Anti-Paper Leak Actions

Why is the Ministry of Education under the scanner?

The Ministry of Education is currently facing severe backlash due to the ongoing controversy related to the NEET paper leak issues and several irregularities in the CBSE’s evaluation of board examinations. Vineet Joshi was the director general of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

Due to the ongoing protest, he has been shifted to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. In 2023, Vineet Joshi was appointed as the Chief Secretary in Manipur after conflicts escalated in the ethnic violence-torn northeastern state 

The opposition and CJP’s protest are demanding a discussion on the NEET paper-leak issue in Parliament and seeking Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.

(Proofread by Khushboo Singh)

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