Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi has directed a sweeping overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA), with the government moving to strengthen examination security, confidential operations and professional expertise following issues linked to the UGC-NET examination.
Joshi held a review meeting with the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, the NTA Director General and other senior officials to assess measures being taken to improve the agency’s functioning and restore confidence in its examination system.
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The overhaul includes changes to the NTA’s leadership structure, removal of more than 50 staff members and the recruitment of specialised professionals for critical positions.
According to the Ministry of Education, ten specialised leadership positions have been advertised and are currently being filled. These include 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 government said the new structure is intended to strengthen the NTA’s technical, financial, security and examination capabilities while bringing greater professional expertise into the organisation.
Private-sector specialists are also being brought in for key areas such as cyber-security, psychometrics and question-paper design. Their involvement is aimed at improving the agency’s capacity to manage large-scale examinations and address vulnerabilities in different stages of the testing process.
Joshi has directed the NTA to undertake a complete overhaul of its Confidential Operations (CONOPS) architecture on a “war footing”. The directions include strengthening secluded rooms used for confidential work, deploying air-gapped systems and enforcing strict device-deposit protocols.
These measures are designed to reduce the possibility of unauthorised access to sensitive examination material and strengthen safeguards around question papers and other confidential processes.
The education minister has also ordered strict compliance with established examination protocols. The NTA has been instructed to identify gaps in its existing procedures and introduce corrective measures to ensure that established safeguards are followed at every stage.
As part of the restructuring, the agency will conduct a comprehensive audit of all examination processes. The audit will examine areas including examination security, confidential operations and other critical procedures involved in conducting national-level tests.
The NTA has been directed to submit a report outlining the corrective action taken after the audit.
The latest measures come amid continuing concerns surrounding the credibility and reliability of examinations conducted by the agency, particularly after recent developments linked to UGC-NET. The government is now seeking to strengthen internal systems, improve accountability and ensure greater security in the conduct of national-level examinations.
The overhaul is expected to bring significant changes to the NTA’s operational and leadership structure as authorities work to rebuild confidence among students and examination stakeholders.
