NTA reform: What Supreme Court wants changed in India’s examination agency

The Supreme Court has sought a detailed account of ongoing reforms at the National Testing Agency (NTA) and indicated that it may visit the agency’s permanent office in Delhi to assess its systems, staffing and operational arrangements.

A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said institutionalizing the NTA’s examination process should remain a key focus of the reform exercise.

The court also emphasized that recommendations made by expert committees must result in changes on the ground rather than remain confined to reports.

Justice P S Narasimha said the bench could visit the NTA’s newly upgraded facility on Minto Road to examine whether the systems introduced by the agency are functioning effectively.

"We will come there one day. Me and my brother to see if the system is working or not, the manpower, etc. See permanency of a place and at least half of the staff, not everybody should be deputationists there. There should be permanent staff," Justice Narasimha told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Centre.

The court also stressed the need for a permanent institutional structure, including regular staff and dedicated functional verticals, with limited dependence on deputation.

“Permanency of place, and permanency of at least half of the staff… Only then will a permanent structure come up,” the bench observed.

The Centre informed the court that the NTA has already shifted toward a functional, domain-specialized structure, with upgraded operational capabilities and strengthened leadership. However, the government acknowledged that the agency’s human resources are only partially in place.

Mehta told the bench that the Nandan Nilekani-led high-powered panel examining structural reforms in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) had completed extensive consultations and was likely to submit its first interim report to the Centre by the end of September.

The panel has considered suggestions from various stakeholders and has also consulted members of the earlier committee headed by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan. The report is expected to outline a roadmap and timelines for implementing the proposed changes.

The Court directed the joint secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), who is assisting the Nilekani panel, to submit an affidavit detailing the progress made so far.

The NTA has also been directed to file an updated affidavit on the reforms undertaken and the progress made. The information is to be uploaded on the agency’s website, with lawyers and states allowed to submit suggestions through a designated mechanism.

The court is expected to consider the matter after the updated affidavit is filed.

The hearing comes as the Supreme Court continues to examine petitions seeking structural and procedural reforms in the conduct of NEET.

The bench had earlier emphasized the need to institutionalize reforms proposed by both the Radhakrishnan committee and the Nilekani panel.

“We had the Radhakrishnan committee, and what we have today is only a committee report… Implementation of the recommendations is very important,” Justice Narasimha said.

The Radhakrishnan committee was constituted by the Ministry of Education following the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak allegations.

Its mandate included recommending changes to the examination process, strengthening data security protocols and reviewing the structure and functioning of the NTA.

The court had also directed the Centre on Aug 19 to provide details of the steps being taken to implement recommendations from the Radhakrishnan committee and the Nilekani panel.

NTA staffing and recruitment

The NTA has been taking steps to strengthen its workforce as part of the broader reform process. The agency has issued notices for recruitment and engagement and invited applications for several positions on deputation.

The available positions cover specialized areas including assessment, research, psychometrics and information security. The broader restructuring also envisages stronger functional and domain-specific capabilities within the agency.

The Centre has said that the upgraded structure has established greater permanency at the institutional level, although the process of strengthening human resources remains incomplete.

Measures to strengthen examination security

The NTA is also expanding technology and security measures for examinations. These include computer-based testing infrastructure, CCTV surveillance for NEET-UG, face authentication, frisking systems and the engagement of an external examination monitoring agency.

The agency has also sought outsourced manpower and comprehensive printing services as part of its examination-related requirements.

Artificial intelligence and analytics are being examined for use in examination security. The proposed applications include analyzing examination logs, identifying unusual patterns and detecting potential instances of fraud.

The broader security framework also includes biometric authentication, technology-enabled safeguards and continuous monitoring.

NEET-UG computer-based testing under consideration

The NTA is also preparing for a possible shift of NEET-UG to computer-based testing. NTA Director General Abhishek Singh has said the examination will move to CBT “very soon."

The agency already conducts examinations such as JEE, UGC-NET and CUET in computer-based mode. The Nilekani task force is examining the transition for NEET-UG, which would require additional secure examination centers, computing infrastructure and other safeguards.

NTA’s examination framework and international plans

The NTA is also examining the possibility of conducting examinations across borders and sharing elements of its testing framework with other countries.

Singh has referred to China’s Gaokao and suggested that BRICS countries could explore cooperation in areas such as examination security and question-paper technology. He has, however, indicated that strengthening India’s examination system remains the immediate priority.

The current reform process follows continuing scrutiny of the NTA’s examination systems. According to the material submitted in the case, the NTA cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3 following allegations of a paper leak. The matter is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

A re-test was conducted on June 21, with the results announced on July 16.

The latest proceedings also relate to petitions seeking reforms in the examination system, including one filed by advocate Tanvi Dubey on behalf of the Federation of All India Medical Association.

The Supreme Court had declined to cancel NEET-UG 2024 following allegations of a question-paper leak but issued directions aimed at preventing paper leaks and established criteria for considering cancellation of public examinations.

The court's latest directions place emphasis on converting the recommendations of expert committees into institutional changes, while seeking further details from the Centre and NTA on the progress of the reform process.