The IIT Madras chief at the centre of the cow urine-exam reforms row

4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 29, 2026 05:21 PM IST Prof V Kamakoti assumed charge as director, IIT Madras in 2022 (Image via IIT Madras video screengrab/Enhanced with AI)Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s comments about a “cow urine expert” on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s examinations task force kicked up quite the political storm this week. The Wayanad MP did not identify the ‘expert’ – the ‘gaumutra visheshhagya’, she called them – but many believe she was referring to IIT Madras Director Professor V Kamakoti.The point was to question the credibility of people tasked with reforming the National Testing Agency, the central government body that conducts competitive exams, including the NEET-UG, or National Eligibility-Entrance Test, for admission to undergraduate medical courses. Gan