NTA Under Scrutiny: House Panel Flags Major Exam Lapses and Calls for Reform

NTA Latest News

• A Parliamentary Standing Committee has sharply criticised the National Testing Agency (NTA), stating that it “has not inspired much confidence” and must urgently improve its functioning.
• The panel highlighted repeated delays in exam results, especially CUET, and noted that despite collecting a surplus of ₹448 crore over six years, the NTA has not built adequate in-house capacity to conduct tests independently. 

• The committee urged the agency to strengthen its systems, infrastructure, and accountability mechanisms to ensure reliable and timely examinations.

About National Testing Agency

• The National Testing Agency (NTA) was established in 2017 as an autonomous, self-sustaining organisation under the Education Ministry (formerly HRD Ministry).
• It is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and comes under the RTI Act.
• Before its creation, UGC, CBSE, and central universities like DU and JNU conducted their own entrance exams.

Origins: When Was NTA First Envisioned

• The idea for a national exam-conducting body dates back to the 1992 Programme of Action under NEP 1986.
• In 2010, a committee of IIT directors recommended establishing such an agency through legislation, inspired by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), USA.
• The government formally announced NTA in 2017, and the Cabinet approved its creation soon after.

Exams Conducted by NTA

• NTA conducts India’s major entrance examinations, including:
  • Top Undergraduate Entrance Exams
    • JEE Main – Engineering admissions
    • NEET-UG – Medical admissions
    • CUET-UG – Admissions to undergraduate programmes in central universities
    • Over 50 lakh candidates appear for these three exams annually.
  • Other Major Exams
    • CUET-PG – Postgraduate admissions
    • UGC-NET – Eligibility for assistant professor, JRF, and PhD
    • CSIR UGC-NET – PhD admission in science disciplines
    • CMAT, Hotel Management JEE, GPATEntrance exams for DU, JNU, IIFT, ICAR, and others

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House Panel Flags Serious Concerns Over NTA’s Functioning

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education has sharply criticised the National Testing Agency (NTA), stating that it has “not inspired much confidence” and must urgently improve its performance. 
• The panel noted chronic delays, errors, and administrative lapses in major national examinations.

Repeated Delays and Exam Irregularities

• The committee observed that NTA delayed CUET results for multiple years, disrupting university admissions and academic calendars.
• Out of 14 exams conducted in 2024, at least five faced major issues:
  • UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, NEET-PG were postponed
  • NEET-UG faced paper leaks
  • CUET results were delayed
  • JEE Main 2025 had 12 incorrect questions withdrawn after answer key errors
• The panel warned that such incidents erode students’ trust in the testing system.

NTA’s Financial Surplus Should Be Used for Capacity Building

• NTA collected ₹3,512.98 crore in six years and spent ₹3,064.77 crore, leaving a surplus of ₹448 crore.
• The committee recommended that this money be used to:
  • Build in-house capability to conduct exams independently
  • Strengthen regulatory oversight of outsourced vendors

Preference for Pen-and-Paper Exams

• Citing CBSE and UPSC’s decades-long track record, the panel expressed support for pen-and-paper exams, noting they have been “leak-proof for several years” — implying computer-based testing may be more vulnerable.

Recommendation to Recognise Sonam Wangchuk’s Institute

• The committee encouraged the UGC to evaluate Sonam Wangchuk’s Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh, noting its innovative model and potential for replication across India.

Observation Regarding UGC

• Draft UGC Regulations 2025 
  • Opposition fears they increase the Chancellor/Visitor’s control over Vice-Chancellor appointments.
  • Committee recommended detailed discussions with CABE (Central Advisory Board of Education) before finalising rules.
• UGC Leadership Vacuum
  • The UGC Chairperson post has remained vacant since April 2025
  • Committee urges urgent appointment
• UGC Equity Regulations 2025
  • Panel noted delays and recommended:
  • Inclusion of OBC harassment under caste-based discrimination
  • Addition of disability as a discrimination axis
  • Clear categorisation of discriminatory acts to avoid subjective interpretation

Source: IE | TH | ToI