Reforms and Strengthening of the National Testing Agency

Standing Committee Report Summary

 

• The Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports (Chair: Mr Mukul Wasnik) presented its report on ‘Reforms and Strengthening of the National Testing Agency (NTA)’ on October 9, 2026.  NTA conducts entrance examinations and eligibility tests such as NEET-UG, JEE (Main), CUET-UG, and UGC-NET.  Key observations and recommendations of the Committee include:

• Parliamentary accountability: The Committee noted that NTA is registered as a society.  It further observed that NTA is not subject to the same level of parliamentary scrutiny as a statutory body.  For instance, it does not lay its annual report before Parliament.  The Committee recommended that the Department of Higher Education introduce an appropriate framework to ensure NTA’s accountability to Parliament.

• NEET-UG:  The Committee observed that pen-and-paper tests involve vulnerable physical supply chains, including: (i) printing, (ii) transportation, and (iii) Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) scanning.  It recommended transitioning NEET-UG to Computer-Based Testing (CBT).  For this, it recommended measures such as: (i) establishing 1,000 secure government-owned CBT centres in a phased manner, (ii) ensuring all centres are owned and operated by the central or state governments, (iii) developing normalisation methodology which is independently audited, and (iv) offering mock exam option for familiarity.

• Examination integrity:  The Committee noted that investment in question banks is the most viable defence against paper leaks in the long run.  NTA should invest in building a large, diverse, and continuously updated question bank.  Questions may be drawn from the bank without advance knowledge of the question-setters.  Final papers must be set close to the examination and final paper vetters must be subject to strict quarantine.  NTA should have a robust, in-house cybersecurity team.  It should use AI tools to flag anomalous response patterns.  The Committee noted that blacklisted service providers (paper setting, printing, logistics) often secure contracts in other states due to the absence of a unified database.  It recommended establishing a publicly accessible online database of disqualified firms.  It also suggested creating an independent mechanism to audit examination security protocols and investigate candidate grievances.  The mechanism should function independently of NTA and report directly to the Ministry.

• Exam reforms: The Committee noted that examination design choices have given rise to coaching industry.  When exams test beyond the school curriculum or test rapid recall or pattern-recognition, they inevitably reward coaching over learning.  This creates a structural disadvantage for those who cannot afford coaching.  It recommended that exams test conceptual understanding based on the official school curriculum.  It also recommended establishing a regulatory framework for coaching centres covering fee transparency, safety, and students’ mental health.  It further recommended that over time, CBT exams should move to a computer adaptive testing model where AI tools can pull questions from a large question bank, adapt them to student aptitude, and normalise based on objective parameters.  No two candidates at the same centre will receive an identical set, reducing scope for cheating.  NTA should set up a technical team to build and maintain such tools.

• The Committee recommended considering a two-stage examination system for large exams which involves common preliminary screening followed by stream-specific main examinations.  Age and attempt limits should also be reviewed.

• Staffing:  The Committee noted that of the 39 sanctioned positions in NTA, only 23 officers are currently in place (41% vacancy).  All sanctioned posts are filled through deputation.  Officers typically serve two to three years before returning to their parent cadres.  The Committee recommended recruiting permanent staff specialising in psychometrics, examination security, digital infrastructure, and data analytics.

• Candidate welfare:  The Committee recommended: (i) providing a separate 15-minute window before or after examinations for invigilator signatures and paperwork to avoid distracting candidates, (ii) permitting slightly late candidates to enter, without giving extra time, (iii) prescribing timelines for grievance redressal, (iv) providing free counselling services, (v) providing financial compensation for candidates affected by administrative cancellations, and (vi) publishing an annual equity audit of pass rates.