New Delhi, August 17: On Monday, Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi held a high-level review meeting to address the operations of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and recent examination-related issues. The minister directed the NTA to conduct a comprehensive audit of all examination processes. The agency is required to evaluate each stage of the examination system and report on the steps taken to rectify identified shortcomings.
The NTA has also been instructed to prepare a detailed report on corrective actions following the audit and present it to the ministry. During the meeting, the minister emphasized the strict adherence to established examination protocols. He called for a complete overhaul of the Confidential Operations Architecture, including separate rooms, air-gapped systems, and device submission rules, to be implemented urgently.
Notably, the UGC-NET exams for English, Commerce, and Sociology subjects, originally held in June 2026, will be re-conducted. The NTA decided to hold re-examinations due to numerous serious errors found in the question papers for these subjects. The agency reported significant issues, including language and spelling mistakes, as well as the repetition of questions from previous exams. The re-examinations are now scheduled for September.
The review meeting focused on enhancing security measures for question papers and other sensitive materials during exams. The use of separate computer systems, isolated from external networks, aims to reduce unauthorized access to sensitive examination content. Attendees included the Secretary of Higher Education, the NTA Director-General, examination officials, and other senior officials.
During the meeting, the minister was briefed on the steps taken by the NTA in response to recent issues and the ongoing efforts to improve the examination system. Officials informed the minister that over 50 staff members have been dismissed as part of the reform process within the NTA. Additionally, the agency has initiated a recruitment process to strengthen professional and technical leadership.
The NTA has begun hiring for ten new leadership positions, including Chief Technology Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, General Manager of Exam Security, and General Managers for Research & Development and Psychometric Evaluation. The recruitment process for these expert roles is underway, with specialists from the private sector being engaged to enhance the examination system’s technical and professional capabilities.
These experts will primarily focus on cybersecurity, psychometric evaluation, question paper preparation, and other specialized technical areas. This initiative aims to improve expertise in question paper creation and examination security processes while addressing potential shortcomings. Minister Pralhad Joshi instructed officials to ensure strict compliance with all established protocols related to examinations. He made it clear that there should be no negligence at any level throughout the examination process.
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