{"id":44083,"date":"2024-12-18T05:16:51","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T23:46:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=44083"},"modified":"2025-05-06T08:15:43","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T02:45:43","slug":"reforming-national-entrance-exams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/reforming-national-entrance-exams\/","title":{"rendered":"Reforming National Entrance Exams"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>What\u2019s in today\u2019s article?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Why in News?<\/li>\n<li>What is the National Testing Agency (NTA)?<\/li>\n<li>Issues Faced by the NTA<\/li>\n<li>Key Recommendations of the High-Level Committee for Secure Examinations<\/li>\n<li>Conclusion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Why in News?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>A high-level committee, chaired by former ISRO chief <strong>K Radhakrishnan<\/strong>, has recommended significant reforms to ensure transparency and efficiency in conducting national entrance tests like NEET, CUET, and UGC-NET.<\/li>\n<li>Drawing parallels with the general election framework, <strong>these reforms aim to safeguard the integrity of the examination process and prevent malpractices<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>What is the National Testing Agency (NTA)?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>About NTA:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>It was set up in <strong>2017 <\/strong>as a <strong>specialist, self-sustaining and autonomous organisation <\/strong>under the aegis of the <strong>Union Ministry of Education<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>It is registered under <strong>the Societies Registration Act 1860<\/strong>, and falls under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.<\/li>\n<li>Its director general and governing body are <strong>appointed by the Union government<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Background:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>In 2010<\/strong>, a committee comprising directors of IITs recommended establishing an autonomous and transparent body (NTA) through legislation, modelled after the <strong>Educational Testing Service (ETS) of the US<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Prior to the NTA\u2019s formation<\/strong>, various government bodies like the UGC, the CBSE, and central universities such as Delhi University and JNU conducted their own entrance examinations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Objectives:<\/strong> It aims to\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Conduct efficient, transparent and international standards tests<\/strong> in order to assess the competency of candidates for admission, and recruitment purposes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Undertake research on educational, professional and testing systems <\/strong>to identify gaps in the knowledge systems and take steps for bridging them.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Identify experts and institutions in setting examination questions.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Produce and disseminate information and research on education and professional development standards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Examinations conducted by the NTA:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>JEE (Main), NEET-UG, Common Management Admission Test (CMAT), Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT), University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET), etc.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The National Education Policy 2020<\/strong> recommends a broader role for the NTA to conduct an entrance or aptitude test for all universities across the country.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Issues Faced by the NTA:<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Issue of accountability<\/strong>:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Computer-based tests<\/strong> ensure that high volume can be processed in a short period of time.<\/li>\n<li>As the NIC [National Informatics Centre] does not have the capacity or IT infrastructure needed, <strong>third-party technical partners are being engaged.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>This <strong>takes accountability out of the government\u2019s hands<\/strong> and leaves loopholes in the system which can be exploited by unscrupulous players.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Shortage of manpower:<\/strong> The agency was set up with only about 25 permanent staff positions and its functions have been outsourced to technical partners from the very beginning.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Absence of robust security mechanisms:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>These are needed to handle a large-scale pen-and-paper examination, including the\n<ul>\n<li>Setting of the question paper and its encryption,<\/li>\n<li>Selection of external printing presses and exam centres,<\/li>\n<li>Transportation to printing presses,<\/li>\n<li>Storage and distribution to examinees at examination centres and<\/li>\n<li>Then the collection and transportation of answer sheets to evaluation centres.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Each of these is a stage where malpractice can occur without robust security mechanisms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cases of irregularities:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The integrity of the NEET-UGwas compromised<\/strong> when the exam question paper was allegedly leaked.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Similarly, the UGC-NET exam was cancelled<\/strong> a day after being conducted, following reports that its integrity had been breached.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Key Recommendations of the High-Level Committee for Secure Examinations:<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Election-style examination framework:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>State collaboration for test administration:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>A collaborative approach between the Centre and state governments to conduct these exams, similar to how elections are managed.<\/li>\n<li>The state administrative machinery, including district collectors, would play a crucial role in ensuring smooth execution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Presiding officers and protocols:<\/strong> Each testing centre will have an NTA-appointed &#8220;presiding officer&#8221; responsible for overseeing operations, akin to polling booth management during elections.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sealing and securing centres:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Testing centres are to be sealed before exams and unsealed only in the presence of district administration and NTA officials.<\/li>\n<li><strong>This procedure mirrors the election process, where EVM strong-rooms are locked and guarded.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>State and district-level committees:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>State-level committees:<\/strong> Headed by a Chief Secretary-nominated nodal officer, these committees will include representatives from state police, NTA, the Intelligence Bureau (IB), and the NIC.<\/li>\n<li><strong>District-level committees: <\/strong>Led by district magistrates, to ensure the identification of secure testing centres and develop strategies for question paper transportation with police or paramilitary support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Background checks for centres:<\/strong> Testing centres will be vetted based on past records, ownership backgrounds, and intelligence inputs to avoid potential security breaches.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reducing dependence on 3rd-party agencies: <\/strong>Phasing out reliance on private test delivery agencies (TCS iON) and collaborating with Kendriya and Navodaya Vidyalayas to develop digital infrastructure for computer-based testing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Digi-exam system: <\/strong>Inspired by the <strong>DigiYatra model<\/strong>, the proposed &#8220;digi-exam&#8221; system will ensure candidate verification using biometric data and a one-time entry of primary identification information during the application process.<\/li>\n<li><strong>CCTV monitoring and sanitised centres:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Continuous CCTV monitoring of candidates during the exam.<\/li>\n<li>Sanitisation of computer-based testing centres by third parties, with additional checks by NIC and NTA representatives.<\/li>\n<li>District-level CCTV monitoring centres to oversee exam operations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Redefining NTA\u2019s role: <\/strong>The NTA should focus solely on entrance exams for higher education, leaving recruitment exams for other bodies.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Flexibility in exam modes<\/strong>: Regarding NEET, the decision on the mode of the exam &#8211; computer-based or pen-and-paper &#8211; will rest with the Health Ministry, with the NTA acting as a service provider.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Conclusion:<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The proposed reforms mark a significant shift towards ensuring fairness and efficiency in national entrance tests.<\/li>\n<li>By adopting an election-style framework and leveraging technology, <strong>the government aims to restore trust in the examination system and safeguard its integrity.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Q.1. Why was K Radhakrishnan committee constituted?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan will be heading a seven-member panel to suggest a reform process of competitive examinations in India.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Q.2. What is the DigiYatra model?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>DigiYatra is a mobile-based platform that uses facial recognition technology to streamline the airport experience for passengers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>News:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/education\/panel-proposes-ls-polls-template-for-national-entrance-tests-involve-states-and-seal-centres-9730836\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Panel proposes LS polls template for national entrance tests: Involve states and seal centres<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A high-level committee has recommended election-style examination framework to ensure transparency and efficiency in conducting national entrance tests like NEET, CUET<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":44084,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-44083","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44083"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44083\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}