3 days ago
In a major move, a government-appointed panel on exam reforms has proposed a comprehensive restructuring of the Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts crucial national entrance examinations such as JEE and NEET among others. The seven-member panel, led by former ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan, was established in June following allegations of irregularities in the NEET-UG exam.
The panel’s report, released on Tuesday, was unveiled by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who announced that starting 2025, the NTA will no longer conduct recruitment exams. Instead, it will concentrate solely on entrance tests for higher education institutions (HEIs). The government also plans to introduce computer-adaptive testing—a technology-driven approach—for future entrance exams. Pradhan further disclosed that the NTA will be restructured in 2025, with 10 new posts added to strengthen its operations.
Among the panel's key recommendations are strict protocols for secure question paper transportation. This includes the use of secure courier services, sealed by authorized officials and validated by the NTA before dispatch. Containers must be locked, monitored during transit, and handed over at test centers under CCTV surveillance and NTA supervision. The panel also urged the NTA to establish robust security measures, regularly updated by in-house analysts, to safeguard the integrity and confidentiality of exams.
The trigger behind these recommendations? The recent NEET UG paper leak controversy, which highlighted glaring vulnerabilities in the exam process, has spurred the call for tighter security and reform.
How was the NEET UG 2024 paper leaked?
The Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET UG) for undergraduate programs, conducted by the Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5, 2024, unexpectedly sparked a national controversy that led to calls for sweeping reforms. What began as a routine examination would soon unravel a complex scandal, culminating in a thorough investigation and recommendations for major changes in NTA’s exam protocols.
The first red flag emerged on May 17, when a petition alleging a possible question paper leak was submitted to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, on June 4, the NTA declared the NEET UG results, coinciding with the announcement of India’s Lok Sabha election results. The unusually high number of toppers raised suspicions, and reports surfaced about “grace marks” being awarded to specific students. This fuelled protests from students and parents, demanding a re-test. The controversy escalated as multiple petitions were filed in the Supreme Court, with political leaders joining the chorus for a thorough investigation into the alleged irregularities.
On June 11, the Supreme Court took note of the situation, issuing a notice to both the NTA and the Central Government. Two days later, the Court ordered a re-examination for the 1,563 candidates who had been awarded “grace marks.” The Education Ministry, while denying corruption allegations, expressed willingness to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. By June 15, another petition was filed, demanding a re-evaluation of all answer sheets to ensure fairness for all candidates. A day later, the Education Minister admitted that there had been lapses in the exam’s security protocols, acknowledging the validity of the allegations.
As the investigation into the paper leak deepened, the Supreme Court on June 20 directed the Bihar and Gujarat police to submit a detailed report. The probe into the leak intensified when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over on June 25, sending officials to Patna. A report from Bihar Police’s Economic Offences Unit (EOU) revealed that the leak could have occurred either during the transportation of the question paper from the courier company to the State Bank of India (SBI) or from SBI to the Hazaribagh Oasis School, designated as the exam center. According to the report, the boxes containing the question papers were delivered to SBI by Blue Dart Courier Services, which raised concerns about potential collusion between the courier staff and the criminal network involved.
Further investigation revealed that the question papers, initially transported from Ranchi to Hazaribagh, had been mishandled. Instead of being directly delivered to the SBI branch, the courier company allegedly delivered them to its local office, sparking suspicions of foul play. Dr. Ehsam Ul Haq, Principal of Oasis School and city coordinator for NTA, confirmed receiving nine sealed boxes at SBI on May 5, which were then handed over to the center superintendent in the presence of the bank manager.
On July 23, the CBI made a significant breakthrough in the case, providing details of an elaborate scheme that compromised the examination’s integrity. According to the CBI, the mastermind of the operation, identified as Pankaj Kumar, managed to access the strongroom at Oasis School on the morning of the exam. Using a toolkit, Kumar breached the security measures that had been in place. During the court deposition, the CBI revealed that while one door was locked with the center superintendent’s key, the rear door was deliberately left open, allowing Kumar to enter at 8:02 am. He spent over an hour in the control room, taking photographs of the question paper, which were then forwarded to other locations.
The CBI’s investigation uncovered discrepancies in the tick marks on hard copies of the question paper, indicating that images were first sent to a counterpart, rather than directly to the solvers. The photos were printed out, and after the solvers completed the paper, the hard copies were scanned and sent to several locations, including one in Hazaribagh and two in Patna.
How will the panel's recommendations on transportation measures prevent further paper leak cases?
The chain of events triggered widespread concern over the security of the examination process, leading to urgent calls for reform. The controversy, coupled with the CBI’s revelations, has prompted the government to consider a restructuring of the NTA for preventing similar incidents in the future. Proposals for stricter security protocols, including secure transportation of question papers and the use of technology-driven solutions like computer-adaptive testing, are currently under review. Here are five key points on how the panel's suggestions for strict transportation measures of question papers will help prevent future paper leak cases:
Secure courier services: The use of authorized, secure courier services ensures that question papers are transported with a higher level of accountability. With proper tracking and documentation, it reduces the risk of tampering or unauthorized access during transit.
Sealed containers and monitoring: By mandating that question paper containers are sealed by authorized officials and validated by the NTA before dispatch, it ensures that no unauthorized person can access the papers. Continuous monitoring during transit and at test centers will further ensure that the integrity of the materials is maintained.
CCTV surveillance and NTA supervision: Requiring CCTV surveillance at key points—such as during the handover of question papers at test centers—will provide real-time monitoring of the process. NTA supervision ensures that the handling of question papers is conducted under strict protocols, making it harder for anyone to breach security.
Regular security audits: The panel's recommendation for regularly updated security measures by in-house analysts will allow the NTA to stay ahead of potential threats. Continuous audits of the transportation and handling process can identify weak points and rectify them before they become security risks.
Strict accountability and documentation: By enforcing detailed documentation and chain-of-custody procedures for question paper delivery and handling, the NTA ensures that every step of the process is traceable. This high level of accountability makes it more difficult for any individual or group to tamper with the question papers without leaving a trail that can be traced back.
