The cancellations and postponements of UGC-NET, UGC-CSIR, and NEET-PG – and an ever-increasing demand for a reconduct of NEET-UG – have once again flagged concerns about the integrity, credibility, and legitimacy of India’s high-stakes entrance examinations. While instances of paper leaks are not unprecedented, the crisis underscores our continued collective failure to establish a credible, trust-based examination and assessment system that is suitably designed to facilitate a standardised merit-based recruitment process.
At a broader, systemic level, the crisis points to the fallacies of implementing short-term peripheral changes instead of overhauling and reorganising existing systems at logistical, planning, and operational levels. The establishment of the National Testing Agency (NTA) in 2017, without restructuring institutional and operational mechanisms at the grassroots level, serves as a clear example. What exacerbates the situation is the recurrence of the same issues despite ongoing laudable efforts such as the National Education Policy 2020.
In the aftermath of the recent Lok Sabha elections, a resurgent Opposition is leaving no stone unturned in politicising the matter and challenging the government. With examination controversies gaining traction in the national media, the government has responded sensitively and proactively. The Minister of Education’s acceptance of moral responsibility indicates the government’s understanding of the potential consequences of the crisis, and its cautious and responsive approach.
Referring the NET and NEET cases to the CBI for a thorough, unbiased, and merit-based investigation also showcases a proactive stance. Furthermore, a committee led by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan has been formed to analyse the structures and processes, and propose comprehensive reforms. The enactment of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024, with strict penalties and substantial fines, also aligns with the same objective.
Stagnant operational framework
NTA was founded on the model of the United States’ External Testing Service to overcome nefarious practices, intents and designs. The goal was to ensure consistency, transparency, credibility, and reliability in evaluation processes crucial for maintaining the integrity of the system.
Despite its promising launch in 2017, the operational framework of the NTA has predominantly remained stagnant, failing to rise up to ever-evolving but threatening technological innovations from unscrupulous elements always ready to outsmart its preparedness. The lack of initiatives to enhance infrastructure, the deficiency in capacity to conduct necessary due diligence procedures both internally and externally, recruit permanent skilled personnel and experts, establish more well-equipped facilities, and enhance the competencies of its staff, has resulted in a cycle of substandard performance within the organisation.
The degree of nonchalance embedded in its operations is apparent. It’s highlighted by the NTA’s own acknowledgement of granting compensatory marks to some students to make up for the time lost during this year’s NEET examination—without employing structured or nuanced criteria for grace marks. The agency’s trajectory over the past six years reflects this stagnation, with evidence of compromises, recurring issues, and unprofessional behaviour undermining public trust in examination processes.
Also read: NTA was supposed to rescue exams from ‘Munna Bhais’. Now it’s part of the problem
Federal sensitivity
From a broader viewpoint, the current crisis once again emphasises the crucial significance of building trust, which forms the basis for developing, organising, and executing any examination or evaluation system worth its value and credibility.
It is important to note that within the federal framework outlined in our Constitution, education falls under the concurrent list. While this allows both central and state governments to establish their own curriculum frameworks and educational standards, doing so results in noticeable disparities and inconsistencies not only in the quality of education, evaluation, and teaching methods but also in the learning content itself. Such disparities, in turn, provide ample opportunities for the coaching industry to exploit learning gaps. It allows institutes to take advantage of young minds’ insecurities and game the system by focusing on different modes of rote learning and, in many cases, by resorting to illicit and unethical practices. The existence of a nationwide network of ‘paper mafia’ and ‘solver gangs’ serves to underscore the extent of corruption, and the exploitation of systemic loopholes.
In the past seven years alone, approximately 70 instances of paper leaks have been brought to light. It is indisputable that a majority, if not all, of these occurrences have been attributed to deficiencies at the state level. Although numerous states have existing legal frameworks that prohibit such audacious acts, the perpetuation of this crime persists unchecked.
The complexities of political dynamics in federal relationships not only hinder the implementation of cohesive and vigorous strategies required to combat these crimes, but more often than not, pave the way for accusations, counter-accusations, and political confrontations. It’s important to endow the NTA with the authority and framework to establish a collaborative mechanism involving law enforcement and intelligence agencies at both the federal and state levels. Only then will it have the necessary biting powers to execute plans and policies effectively.
Also read: I worked to reform CBSE’s testing system. NTA can learn from it—Anil Swarup
A New paradigm of assessment
The transition from traditional assessment methods to a new paradigm that is in sync with technological innovations requires agencies like the NTA to undertake substantial adjustments in infrastructure. This includes significant investments in computer hardware such as tablets, laptops, and proxy servers, as well as robust networking capabilities at examination centres throughout the country. Equally vital is the training of personnel to proficiently configure and troubleshoot test delivery software, and the education of those involved in conducting and supervising examinations, and addressing technical issues. The NTA must be willing to adopt innovative approaches in tasks such as item creation, item banking, test compilation, quality assurance, and security. Clearly, the scope of infrastructure development needed is substantial.
After establishing trust, the NTA could gradually attempt to transition from its static one-size-fits-all assessment approach to a more dynamic system of evaluation. This new system would be fully online and generate assessment levels based on students’ own quotients of intelligence and abilities to ride over a range of difficulty levels. In such a system of assessment, technological prowess is aligned with each student’s abilities, creating a positive testing environment. Given the fact that under such propositions the system generates a unique set of questions for each student, it certainly eliminates the chances of answer copying and cheating.
The current imperative is a comprehensive overhaul—a shift toward proactive reforms that prioritise quality, reliability, and equity in testing. Without such decisive action, the NTA risks becoming another example of good intentions hampered by systemic inertia. Stakeholders must demand accountability, transparency, and genuine reform to ensure the NTA fulfils its intended role as a cornerstone of India’s educational evaluation framework.
Dr Chandrachur Singh teaches Political Science at Hindu College, University of Delhi. Views are personal.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)