Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi has reviewed the steps being taken to strengthen the National Testing Agency (NTA) following concerns over the conduct and management of competitive examinations.
Joshi held a meeting with the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, NTA Director General and other senior officials to assess the reforms being implemented at the testing agency.
During the meeting, officials briefed the minister on the measures taken so far to overhaul the examination system and tighten security protocols.
More than 50 NTA staff removed
According to the update shared after the meeting, more than 50 staff members have been removed from the NTA as part of the changes being undertaken by the agency.
The government is also looking to bring in professionals with specialised expertise to handle critical areas of examination management.
NTA has advertised 10 new professional leadership positions, including roles such as Chief Technology Officer, Chief Finance Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, General Manager for Test Security and General Manager for Research and Development and Psychometrics.
The selected professionals are in the process of being onboarded, the minister was informed.
Private sector specialists to join NTA
The reforms will also involve bringing domain experts from the private sector into key areas of NTA's operations.
Officials said specialists are being brought in for areas including cybersecurity, psychometrics and question-paper design, among other specialised functions.
The move is aimed at strengthening technical expertise within the agency and addressing gaps in areas that are central to secure and reliable examination administration.
Joshi calls for complete overhaul of confidential operations
During the review, Joshi directed officials to ensure strict compliance with established examination protocols.
He also called for a complete overhaul of the Confidential Operations (CONOPS) architecture used by the NTA.
The minister directed that measures including the use of secluded rooms, air-gapped systems and device-deposit protocols be implemented on a "war footing".
These measures are intended to strengthen the handling of confidential examination material and reduce the risk of unauthorised access or information leakage.
NTA asked to audit entire exam process
The NTA has also been directed to conduct a thorough audit of all examination processes.
The agency will have to review the existing systems and identify areas where corrective measures are required. It has also been asked to submit a report detailing the corrective action taken.
