In a serious transfer, a authorities-appointed panel on exam reforms has proposed a complete restructuring of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts essential nationwide entrance examinations similar to JEE and NEET amongst others. The seven-member panel, led by former ISRO chairman Ok. Radhakrishnan, was established in June following allegations of irregularities in the NEET-UG exam.
The panel’s report, launched on Tuesday, was unveiled by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who introduced that beginning 2025, the NTA will now not conduct recruitment exams. Instead, it should focus solely on entrance checks for increased training establishments (HEIs). The authorities additionally plans to introduce laptop-adaptive testing—a know-how-pushed strategy—for future entrance exams. Pradhan additional disclosed that the NTA shall be restructured in 2025, with 10 new posts added to strengthen its operations.
Among the panel’s key suggestions are strict protocols for safe query paper transportation. This consists of the usage of safe courier companies, sealed by licensed officers and validated by the NTA earlier than dispatch. Containers have to be locked, monitored throughout transit, and handed over at take a look at facilities below CCTV surveillance and NTA supervision. The panel additionally urged the NTA to ascertain strong safety measures, repeatedly up to date by in-house analysts, to safeguard the integrity and confidentiality of exams.
The set off behind these suggestions? The current NEET UG paper leak controversy, which highlighted evident vulnerabilities in the exam course of, has spurred the decision for tighter safety and reform.
How was the NEET UG 2024 paper leaked?
The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET UG) for undergraduate applications, carried out by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5, 2024, unexpectedly sparked a nationwide controversy that led to calls for sweeping reforms. What started as a routine examination would quickly unravel a posh scandal, culminating in an intensive investigation and proposals for main modifications in NTA’s exam protocols.
The first pink flag emerged on May 17, when a petition alleging a potential query paper leak was submitted to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, on June 4, the NTA declared the NEET UG outcomes, coinciding with the announcement of India’s Lok Sabha election outcomes. The unusually excessive variety of toppers raised suspicions, and stories surfaced about “grace marks” being awarded to particular college students. This fueled protests from college students and oldsters, demanding a re-take a look at. The controversy escalated as a number of petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court, with political leaders becoming a member of the refrain for an intensive investigation into the alleged irregularities.
On June 11, the Supreme Court took be aware of the state of affairs, issuing a discover to each the NTA and the Central Government. Two days later, the Court ordered a re-examination for the 1,563 candidates who had been awarded “grace marks.” The Education Ministry, whereas denying corruption allegations, expressed willingness to cooperate with the continuing investigation. By June 15, one other petition was filed, demanding a re-analysis of all reply sheets to make sure equity for all candidates. A day later, the Education Minister admitted that there had been lapses in the exam’s safety protocols, acknowledging the validity of the allegations.
As the investigation into the paper leak deepened, the Supreme Court on June 20 directed the Bihar and Gujarat police to submit an in depth report. The probe into the leak intensified when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over on June 25, sending officers to Patna. A report from Bihar Police’s Economic Offenses Unit (EOU) revealed that the leak might have occurred both throughout the transportation of the query paper from the courier firm to the State Bank of India (SBI) or from SBI to the Hazaribagh Oasis School, designated because the exam centre. According to the report, the containers containing the query papers have been delivered to SBI by Blue Dart Courier Services, which raised issues about potential collusion between the courier employees and the prison community concerned.
Further investigation revealed that the query papers, initially transported from Ranchi to Hazaribagh, had been mishandled. Instead of being instantly delivered to the SBI department, the courier firm allegedly delivered them to its native workplace, sparking suspicions of foul play. Dr. Ehsam Ul Haq, Principal of Oasis School and metropolis coordinator for NTA, confirmed receiving 9 sealed containers at SBI on May 5, which have been then handed over to the middle superintendent in the presence of the financial institution supervisor.
On July 23, the CBI made a big breakthrough in the case, offering particulars of an elaborate scheme that compromised the examination’s integrity. According to the CBI, the mastermind of the operation, recognized as Pankaj Kumar, managed to entry the strongroom at Oasis School on the morning of the exam. Using a toolkit, Kumar breached the safety measures that had been in place. During the courtroom deposition, the CBI revealed that whereas one door was locked with the middle superintendent’s key, the rear door was intentionally left open, permitting Kumar to enter at 8:02 am. He spent over an hour in the management room, taking pictures of the query paper, which have been then forwarded to different places.
The CBI’s investigation uncovered discrepancies in the tick marks on laborious copies of the query paper, indicating that pictures have been first despatched to a counterpart, moderately than on to the solvers. The images have been printed out, and after the solvers accomplished the paper, the laborious copies have been scanned and despatched to a number of places, together with one in Hazaribagh and two in Patna.
How will the panel’s suggestions on transportation measures forestall additional paper leak instances?
The chain of occasions triggered widespread concern over the safety of the examination course of, resulting in pressing calls for reform. The controversy, coupled with the CBI’s revelations, has prompted the federal government to contemplate a restructuring of the NTA for stopping related incidents in the longer term. Proposals for stricter safety protocols, together with safe transportation of query papers and the usage of know-how-pushed options like laptop-adaptive testing, are presently below evaluate. Here are 5 key factors on how the panel’s recommendations for strict transportation measures of query papers will assist forestall future paper leak instances:
Secure courier companies: The use of licensed, safe courier companies ensures that query papers are transported with the next degree of accountability. With correct monitoring and documentation, it reduces the danger of tampering or unauthorized entry throughout transit.
Sealed containers and monitoring: By mandating that query paper containers are sealed by licensed officers and validated by the NTA earlier than dispatch, it ensures that no unauthorized particular person can entry the papers. Continuous monitoring throughout transit and at take a look at facilities will additional make sure that the integrity of the supplies is maintained.
CCTV surveillance and NTA supervision: Requiring CCTV surveillance at key factors—similar to throughout the handover of query papers at take a look at facilities—will present actual-time monitoring of the method. NTA supervision ensures that the dealing with of query papers is carried out below strict protocols, making it tougher for anybody to breach safety.
Regular safety audits: The panel’s suggestion for repeatedly up to date safety measures by in-house analysts will enable the NTA to remain forward of potential threats. Continuous audits of the transportation and dealing with course of can determine weak factors and rectify them earlier than they develop into safety dangers.
Strict accountability and documentation: By imposing detailed documentation and chain-of-custody procedures for query paper supply and dealing with, the NTA ensures that each step of the method is traceable. This excessive degree of accountability makes it tougher for any particular person or group to tamper with the query papers with out leaving a path that may be traced again.