National Testing Agency

NTA needs structural reforms to address exam security issues: Ex-UGC chief

The National Testing Agency (NTA) needs "deep structural strengthening" to address recurring examination-security concerns, but replacing the agency altogether may not be the most useful solution, former UGC Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar said. Speaking to PTI, Kumar, Chairman of the Review Committee for NEP 2020, said the recurring paper-leak concerns should be viewed as an "end-to-end examination-security challenge", given the scale and complexity of examinations conducted by NTA. The Centre recently ordered several measures to strengthen the NTA and examination system following the NEET-UG paper leak issue, which triggered widespread student protests culminating in resignation of a minister, and the subsequent errors in the UGC-NET exam. The government has also set up a high-level committee under technocrat Nandan Nilekani, while a law on curbing unfair means in public examinations was passed in the recently concluded Parliament session to provide greater punishments. "NTA ...

Best of BS Opinion: RBI rate hike only a matter of time as inflation looms

Today's opinion pieces examine the RBI's policy outlook, weaknesses in public examinations, state capacity, India's infrastructure financing gap and Omer Bartov's critique of Israel

Paper leaks: A state capacity problem

Setting aside the question of the necessity of national qualifying examinations, high-quality parastatal agencies are essential to administering them reliably

NTA to shift offices, revamp exam team after lapses in UGC-NET papers

Agency removes around 600 experts, plans to induct new officials and introduces a four-tier question-paper checking system as CISF teams reinforce security

Education Minister Joshi orders overhaul of NTA system on a 'war footing'

Agency removes 50 members, to fill 10 new leadership positions soon

NTA undertakes exam system overhaul, removes more than 50 staff members

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has removed more than 50 of its staff members and is onboarding professionals for key leadership positions as part of measures to reform the overall examination system, the education ministry said on Monday. The development came a day after the NTA ordered a re-test for three subjects of the UGC-NET exam for scholars due to several errors in those papers, and within months of the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 for medical admissions over allegations of paper leak. In a post on X, the ministry said Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi held a meeting with the secretary in the Department of Higher Education, the NTA director general and other senior officials, during which he was apprised of the steps taken by the agency in the wake of recent issues and reforming the overall exam system. "The minister was apprised about the steps taken by the NTA in the wake of recent issues, particularly with reference to reforming the overall system. He was ...

NTA to re-conduct three UGC-NET papers after panel finds multiple errors

The September 9-10 re-examination for English, Commerce and Sociology follows a panel finding factual, typographical, translation and other errors in the papers

NTA releases provisional answer keys for 84 subjects of UGC-NET 2026

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Sunday released the provisional answer keys for 84 subjects of the UGC-NET June 2026 examination. In a post on X, the NTA said the challenge window is open and it will remain open from August 16 to 18 till 11:59 PM. Candidates will have to pay a processing fee of Rs 200 per question challenged, with the last date for fee payment being August 18 till 11:59 PM, it said. For the three remaining subjects -- English, Commerce and Sociology -- a committee was constituted to examine complaints received regarding various types of errors in the question papers, it said. Based on the recommendations of the committee, a separate public notice concerning these three subjects will be issued later on Sunday, the NTA said. The agency said candidates have been advised to rely only on information published on the official NTA website and its verified social media handles. UGC-NET is conducted to determine the eligibility of candidates for the posts of Assistan

CBI alleges pre-planned Neet-UG 2026 paper leak involving NTA experts

In its chargesheet, the agency has claimed that 3 NTA-appointed subject experts were part of the conspiracy and allegedly misused their official roles to leak confidential examination material

Neet's digital transition must be matched by equal access to technology

The transition from pen-and-paper to computer-based testing changes the nature of preparation itself

6 Neet-UG candidates move SC over alleged discrepancies in OMR sheets

Six NEET-UG candidates approached the Supreme Court on Tuesday alleging discrepancies between the answers they had marked in their OMR sheets during the examination and the copies of those sheets made available by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The plea was mentioned before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, seeking an early hearing before the commencement of the counselling process. The lawyer told a bench comprising Chief Justice Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana that the case pertains to six students who secured more than 600 and 650 marks but claim that the OMR sheets uploaded by the NTA differ from the answers they had actually marked during the examination. He also told the court that the students had emailed the NTA and also visited its office, but received no response. The bench then agreed to list the matter for hearing. The NEET-UG 2026 exam, originally held on May 3, was cancelled following a paper leak and was re-conducted on June 21 by the NTA.

After Neet controversy, NTA moves to tighten security with ₹7.5 cr tender

Following the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has floated a Rs 7.5-crore tender for round-the-clock security services at its headquarters at Minto Road, regional offices at Okhla, storage facilities and other notified locations. According to the tender document, the move aims to safeguard NTA's personnel, visitors, assets, premises, records, confidential examination material, server rooms, strong rooms and other critical infrastructure. The July 25 Request for Proposal (RFP) said the estimated contract value is "Rs 7.5 crore plus GST (tentative) for a 2-year contract without variation". Bids can be submitted until 3 pm on August 17, and the printing-services tender closes on August 20, it said. The contract will initially remain valid for two years and can be extended for two additional one-year periods, subject to satisfactory performance, mutual consent and approval of the competent authority. The tender requires a Rs 15 lakh deposit and wil

CSIR NET 2026 provisional answer key 2026 soon; check steps to download

NTA is expected to release the CSIR NET 2026 Provisional Answer Key soon on portal. Alongside, candidates will also be able to download their response sheet and question paper

2024 NTA reforms: Why the Radhakrishnan panel was formed & what it proposed

The Centre formed the Radhakrishnan panel in 2024 to improve exam security. Here's what led to its creation, what it proposed and what has changed since

From Gaokao to SAT: What India can learn from global examination systems

As the Nandan Nilekani-led task force reviews India's examination system, a look at how countries like China, US, Australia, Germany and Brazil balance security, fairness, access to higher education

Tech intervention crucial for exam reforms: IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti

IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti stated that the task force will focus on making the NTA's examination process more transparent, accountable, and technologically secure

Best of BS Opinion: Systems earn trust by holding up when tested

From US tariffs and exam reforms to welfare, governance and democracy, today's editorials examine how institutions earn public trust by adapting under pressure

A fresh slate: Protests must spur urgent education, exam system reboot

Leaks of questions for examinations have been part of India's landscape for long, and the NTA was set up in 2017 to address these issues

High-powered task force on exam reforms set up under Nandan Nilekani: PM

Pralhad Joshi faces task of restoring trust in education system

India's education crisis needs systemic reform, not bureaucratic reshuffles

Our education system is a destroyer of all talent by enforcing learning by rote, and then holding coaching classes to 'crack' competitive exams. And then, papers leak