Panel formed to reform National Testing Agency

The Union Ministry of Education has constituted a seven-member high-level committee of experts, led by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan, to ensure the transparent, smooth, and fair conduct of examinations by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The move comes days after NTA cancelled UGC-NET after its question paper was found to have been leaked on darknet. Apart from that, there have also been allegations of irregularities in NEET, sparking debate over the process of examinations.

“Setting up this high-level committee of experts is the first step in a series of measures to improve the efficiency of the examination process, eliminate all possible malpractices, strengthen data security protocols, and overhaul and reform the NTA. Student interests and their bright future will always be our government’s top priority,” Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan shared in an X post on Saturday.

The high-level committee has been tasked with making recommendations on reforms in the examination process and enhancing the structure and functioning of the NTA. The committee has been asked to submit a report within two months.

Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, former Chairman of ISRO and Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT Kanpur, has been appointed as the Chairman of the committee. The other members include Dr. Randeep Guleria, former Director of AIIMS Delhi; Prof. B J Rao, Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Hyderabad; Prof. Ramamurthy K, Professor Emeritus at the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras; Pankaj Bansal, Co-Founder of People Strong and Board Member of Karmayogi Bharat; Prof. Aditya Mittal, Dean of Student Affairs at IIT Delhi; and Govind Jaiswal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Education, who will serve as the Member Secretary.