The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar as secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, replacing Vineet Joshi.

Gangwar, a 1994-batch Rajasthan cadre officer, is currently serving as secretary in the animal husbandry department and holds degrees from IIT Roorkee and Delhi, along with a Master's in Economics.

His appointment comes amid ongoing protests by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) demanding Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged NEET exam irregularities.

The CJP, which began protesting at Jantar Mantar since June 20, intensified its campaign after activist Sonam Wangchuk was hospitalised during his hunger strike.The government has promised strict action against those involved in the paper leak, with PM Narendra Modi announcing plans for Fast-Track Courts.A delegation of the CJP is set to meet Union ministers, marking a significant step in addressing the protesters' demands.