Journalism of Courage
NTA refresh: 4-tier paper checks, 600 experts out, CISF security at offices
The ministry has been under fire over the NEET-UG paper leak and the recent lapses in the UGC-NET papers — the two exams are among the many conducted by the NTA.
Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi with NTA Director General Abhishek Singh in New Delhi. (Image source: X/@EduMinOfIndia)
The education ministry on Tuesday, August 19, announced a major overhaul of the examination system at the National Testing Agency (NTA), including a four-tier paper checking process, removal of 600 experts and onboarding of new ones, and office premises secured by the CISF.
The ministry has been under fire over the NEET-UG paper leak and the recent lapses in the UGC-NET papers — the two exams are among the many conducted by the NTA.
In a post on X, the ministry said NTA Director General Abhishek Singh had apprised it of actions taken by the agency. “A revamp of the examination team was undertaken with 600 experts being removed and new experts being onboarded. A four-tier question paper checking system will be put in place to strengthen the scrutiny of examination papers,” it said.
“20-25 officials to be inducted in the next two to three weeks. Further induction plan was also reviewed. NTA offices will be shifted to the new premises on a war footing, where security will be reinforced with CISF teams,” the ministry said.
The announcement followed a meeting chaired on Monday by Education Minister Pralhad Joshi, who came in after his predecessor Dharmendra Pradhan had to resign following protests over the NEET-UG paper leak. The ministry said Joshi “directed that all necessary security and related infrastructural facilities should be put in place for the smooth conduct of examinations”.
Read | What UGC-NET September re-exam means for students already running out of time
The NTA action comes after recent student protests led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) over the NEET-UG paper leak, which saw Pradhan’s resignation and the promise of exam reform. The government had also removed Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi.
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On Sunday, the NTA announced that it would re-conduct the UGC-NET June 2026 examinations in English, Commerce, and Sociology subjects after a committee found that the three question papers contained many factual, typographical, and translation errors, concluding that the papers did not meet the standards of a “fair and error-free examination”.
In July, the government had terminated the services of 47 NTA officials as part of a major overhaul and punitive crackdown.
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, was cleared by Parliament in the just-concluded Monsoon Session, after days of disruptions in both Houses over the NEET-UG paper leak and police action on protesting students on July 20. The Bill provides for tougher penalties, fast-track courts and time-bound trials for paper leak cases. —With PTI Inputs
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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