New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has begun a major restructuring of its examination machinery, with around 600 experts removed from its examination team and new experts being onboarded as part of measures to strengthen the conduct and security of national-level entrance and eligibility tests.
The development comes a day after the government ordered an overhaul of the NTA’s examination system and directed a comprehensive audit of the testing process.
Following a review meeting with Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi, the NTA Director General apprised the minister of the steps taken by the agency to strengthen its examination processes and infrastructure.
As part of the restructuring, a four-tier question paper checking system will be put in place to strengthen scrutiny of examination papers before they are used in tests. The move is aimed at adding multiple layers of checks to the question paper preparation and review process.
The NTA is also set to induct 20-25 officials over the next two to three weeks, with the government reviewing a further plan for strengthening the agency’s examination team.
In a significant security-related move, NTA offices will also be shifted to new premises on a war footing, with security arrangements to be strengthened through the deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) teams.
The physical relocation and additional security measures are part of the broader effort to strengthen the agency’s examination infrastructure and prevent unauthorised access to sensitive examination material and systems.
The latest measures follow the government’s decision on Monday to overhaul the NTA’s examination system, including a review of its existing Standard Operating Procedures and protocols, along with an audit of the entire examination process.
The government has also directed that necessary security and related infrastructure be put in place to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of examinations.
The latest restructuring comes amid heightened scrutiny of the NTA’s examination processes following repeated concerns over question paper quality, examination security and the agency’s handling of large-scale national examinations.
The government is now moving towards strengthening the NTA at multiple levels, covering its examination personnel, question paper scrutiny, physical infrastructure and security arrangements.
