Dharmendra Pradhan announces NTA overhaul with recruitment exams ending by 2025: Do these changes aim to fix exam failures and restore trust? – Newz9

In a major growth, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, throughout immediately’s winter Parliament session, introduced that beginning 2025, the National Testing Agency (NTA) will not conduct recruitment examinations. Instead, it is going to focus solely on entrance examinations for greater training establishments. He additional said that the federal government plans to introduce pc-adaptive testing, a tech-pushed strategy for entrance examinations, sooner or later.
Additionally, the Minister revealed that the NTA will endure restructuring in 2025, with the addition of 10 new posts. He additionally talked about ongoing discussions with the Health Ministry relating to whether or not the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate packages (NEET UG) can be carried out in pen-paper mode or on-line mode.
The key query now could be: What led the training ministry to announce such drastic changes?
Before delving into these points, let’s first study the key entrance examinations carried out by the NTA, each for recruitment and greater training establishments.

NTA Exams: Major entrance and recruitment checks

The National Testing Agency is accountable for conducting a number of nationwide-stage entrance examinations for greater training establishments in addition to recruitment exams. Here are the key examinations carried out by the company. NTA conducts a number of different examinations additionally aside from these.

Plagued by leaks and lapses: A deep dive into main NTA controversies

The changes introduced by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stem from the a number of controversies which have plagued the National Testing Agency (NTA) in recent times. Issues equivalent to paper leaks, impersonation, technical glitches, and lapses in exam safety have eroded belief within the system. The NEET UG and UGC NET controversies of 2024, specifically, underlined systemic failures and the necessity for reform. In the previous, there have been a number of situations the place NTA discovered itself in troubled waters. Allegations of impersonation, mishandling of biometric information, and untrained invigilators additional underscore the systemic lapses. The authorities-appointed panel, led by Dr. Ok. Radhakrishnan, really helpful restructuring the NTA to strengthen exam safety, accountability, and operational effectivity. These reforms aim to restore credibility, guarantee equity, and introduce a tech-pushed strategy to entrance examinations in India. From the JEE Main paper leak and CUET-UG’s technical glitches to a number of NEET UG controversies, listed below are 5 main NTA controversies which have occurred within the current previous.
NEET UG 2024: Question Paper Leak and Grace Marks Controversy
The NEET-UG 2024 exam, held on May 5 for over 24 lakh college students, sparked controversy after allegations of a query paper leak and irregularities. Following the outcomes on June 4, considerations arose over grace marks awarded to 1,563 college students and an unusually excessive variety of toppers. Protests erupted nationwide, and petitions reached the Supreme Court demanding a re-check and re-analysis.
On June 13, the Supreme Court ordered a re-examination for college students receiving grace marks whereas emphasizing equity. Despite preliminary denials, the Education Minister later admitted to lapses in safety protocols. Investigations into alleged paper leaks in Hazaribagh and Patna had been directed to state police, with the courtroom searching for detailed experiences.
On July 24, the Supreme Court dismissed pleas for a nationwide re-check, citing a scarcity of systemic points and potential disruption to educational schedules. While it acknowledged remoted incidents of malpractice, it pressured the necessity for thorough investigation with out impacting tens of millions of scholars.
UGC NET June 2024 Exam Cancellation
Amid the NEET controversy, the UGC NET June 2024 exam, held on June 18, was canceled due to widespread irregularities. Issues included hologram stickers for identification verification being connected post-exam in Prayagraj and candidates in Bihar’s Danapur detained after biometric information was misplaced. Additionally, candidates had been allowed to take admit playing cards house towards NTA tips, elevating considerations over verification lapses. Poor infrastructure worsened issues, with heatwave situations, inadequate water, and insufficient air flow reported at a number of centres.
For the primary time since 2018, the UGC NET was carried out offline in OMR mode as an alternative of the Computer-Based Test (CBT), main to errors and delays. These systemic failures have highlighted the pressing want for reform in India’s examination system to guarantee equity, reliability, and scholar effectively-being. Read our report right here.
NEET UG: Dress Code and Security Violations
2023: In 2023, after showing within the NEET exam, a number of candidates took to social media to share their expertise. Complaints continued, with feminine candidates in Maharashtra made to flip their kurtas inside out, and others pressured to change innerwear. Parents criticized the dearth of standardized working procedures for invigilators, citing emotional misery triggered to college students throughout such excessive-stakes exams. Read our report right here.
2022: A 17-12 months-previous in Kerala was pressured to take away her bra after its steel hooks triggered a safety alarm. Similar circumstances of invasive frisking had been reported, together with college students being requested to take away hijabs and burqas. The incident sparked outrage over the insensitivity of safety protocols. Read our report right here.
CUET UG 2022: Glitches and Chaos
The debut version of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET-UG) was marred by logistical failures, together with final-minute changes to exam facilities, widespread cancellations, and technical glitches. On July 15, college students had been unable to seem for the check due to sudden changes, with no retests supplied. Natural disasters additional disrupted exams in states like Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh, whereas errors in admit playing cards compounded the confusion. Technical points endured all through, affecting hundreds of scholars, and the exam’s extension delayed admissions, irritating candidates nationwide. Read our report right here.
JEE Main Paper Leak and Impersonation Scandal (2021)
In March 2021, screenshots of the JEE Main query paper surfaced on social media shortly after the exam started, elevating considerations of a leak. Candidates and teaching facilities confirmed the questions matched these within the exam. The National Testing Agency (NTA) confronted criticism for safety lapses, as cell phones, banned through the exam, appeared to have been used for the leak. Read our report right here.
Later that 12 months, between August 26 and September 2, the NTA recognized 9 impersonation circumstances and blacklisted 23 check centres. The Ministry of Education positioned 49 facilities and 419 candidates below surveillance, citing violations like unauthorized supplies and impersonation. Read our report right here.

The seven member panel suggestion for NTA

During the NEET UG controversy, a authorities-appointed panel was shaped, chaired by former Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chief Dr. Ok. Radhakrishnan. The panel proposed a sequence of reforms aimed toward strengthening examination safety. One of the important thing suggestions was the restructuring of the National Testing Agency (NTA). In its preliminary section of implementation, the committee proposed a 5-level restructuring plan for the National Testing Agency (NTA). This consists of:

These proposed reforms maintain the potential to reshape the panorama of medical entrance examinations in India, making certain larger transparency, safety, and accessibility for all candidates.
Click right here to learn our report.