Column | M Jagadesh Kumar On Why Restoring Trust In Exams Is The Need Of The Hour

India’s entrance-test ecosystem is one of the largest in the world. Since 2018, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has conducted more than 250 examinations for over 5.5 crore candidates. It now serves more than one crore candidates annually. These national tests have enabled institutions to manage very large applicant pools efficiently and objectively.

Given this scale, even a centre-specific issue may have implications for a sizeable number of candidates. Such situations are best addressed through timely containment, clear communication and proportionate remedial measures. Prevention, early detection and appropriate resolution of possible examination-related incidents should therefore form a part of a carefully designed policy framework.

The NTA continues to strengthen measures to protect the integrity of public examinations. Standard protocols are designed to take care of risks related to candidate authentication, secure access, answer-sheet integrity, cybersecurity and organised unfair practices. Parliament enacted the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and amended it in the monsoon session in July 2026 to make it more stringent. The objective of the Act is to punish those who use unfair practices for wrongful gain. The Act does not treat the candidates appearing in the examinations as criminals.

Recognising the importance of national examinations, the Parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended that an annual report be submitted to Parliament as an additional measure of institutional transparency.

The Union Ministry of Education constituted a high-level committee of experts. In its report, submitted in October 2024, the committee recommended further improvements in the examination process, organisational capacity and student support. The NTA has initiated the implementation of these recommendations.

For example, district coordination committees under collectors have been established. The majority of these centres are located in state-government or government-owned buildings. In May 2026, the government posted four senior officers to the NTA. Specialist positions in technology, finance and human resources were also advertised.

For pen-and-paper examinations, secure-delivery systems can minimise the duration and number of locations at which complete question papers are available before the examination. The committee proposed a pilot of computer-assisted secure pen-and-paper testing. Under this model, encrypted papers would be sent to the confidential centre’s servers and printed locally shortly before the examination.

Existing safeguards for printing, storage, transportation, packet opening, optical mark recognition (OMR) handling and return logistics are also being progressively strengthened.

Computer-based Testing

Computer-based testing can reduce several logistical risks associated with large-scale physical examination processes. But it requires adequate backup power, good local area network connectivity, robust cybersecurity and infrastructure protection. For multi-session examinations, advance communication of a clearly defined normalisation process can further strengthen candidate understanding and confidence. Computer-adaptive testing, in turn, requires calibrated question banks, mature psychometrics and candidate familiarisation. Mobile testing centres can extend access to students in remote regions.

The NTA checks each centre for physical and cybersecurity, accessibility and its previous compliance record. Vendor empanelment frameworks can continue to incorporate disclosures relating to ownership, subcontracting arrangements, potential conflicts of interest and previous debarment, where applicable. Parliament’s proposal for a nationwide repository of relevant regulatory and debarment information can strengthen coordination among examination bodies and competent authorities. Subject to due process, such a repository would make debarment decisions visible to every competent authority. The NTA’s growing internal expertise in psychometrics, item-bank design, cybersecurity, operations, accessibility, language quality, data analytics and grievance redressal can be further consolidated through dedicated institutional structures. The committee recommended an empowered governing body, oversight subcommittees, 10 specialised verticals, two additional director-general and stronger in-house expertise.

The continuous development of high-quality question banks can further strengthen the consistency and quality of question papers. After an examination, item analysis can identify questions that may merit expert review based on parameters such as clarity, difficulty and discriminative power. Every language version needs both subject and linguistic verification. Item analysis can also help identify questions for review due to ambiguity, unexpected difficulty or limited discriminatory power. Given the growing scale of national examinations, multi-session testing may become increasingly necessary in appropriate cases.

A clear incident-response framework is essential whenever information indicating a possible irregularity is received. The NTA follows a predefined protocol for verification, investigation and appropriate remedial action by assessing the relevant stage, location, duration and possible impact of the reported incident.

In the case of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)-UG 2024, the Supreme Court examined whether there was any system-wide compromise of the examination. Finding no material establishing a system-wide compromise and taking into account the interests of more than two million candidates, the court declined to direct a fresh examination for all.

Proportionality is central to determining the appropriate response in the event of a possible irregularity. Individual malpractice can lead to individual action. Where an irregularity is attributable to an individual, the response may appropriately be confined to the person concerned, in accordance with the due process. Where an expert review identifies a question requiring clarification or correction, an appropriate scoring measure may be adopted. A nationwide re-examination may be considered only when a large-scale compromise is established through reliable evidence.

Broader Pathways

Entrance examinations will remain necessary when applicants greatly outnumber the available seats. Wider access to high-quality preparation support can further advance equity among candidates. The Self-Assessment, Test and Help for Entrance Exams, developed by the Union Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, offers free lectures, mock tests and other resources for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), NEET and related examinations in English and 12 Indian languages. Schools, libraries and community centres can use these resources to support learning.

The Supreme Court’s 2025 directions require every educational institution to adopt a mental-health policy that is reviewed annually. The directions also require referral protocols, displayed helplines, confidential reporting, mentoring and staff training at least twice each year. Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking across States, accessible at 14416 and 1800-89-14416, is a national support channel. Institutions can periodically review academic and campus indicators, including withdrawal patterns, financial difficulties, student grievances and residential conditions to identify areas that require timely support. This can help identify areas that need additional attention.

The reforms underway represent a comprehensive and coordinated effort to strengthen the NTA’s ability to anticipate risks, respond promptly and protect the interests of honest candidates. The reforms will continue to strengthen the system through effective implementation, periodic review and proportionate decision-making. Consistent implementation, periodic review and proportionate decision-making will further reinforce public confidence in the examination system.

(Views expressed are personal)

M. Jagadesh Kumar Chairman, Review Committee, National Education Policy (2020)

(This story appeared in Outlook magazine’s August 31 issue, 'Whose Idea of India?', in which India’s noted public intellectuals, policymakers, cultural practitioners, political leaders, scholars and economists write in detail about the idea of India they believe can best secure the nation’s future as we celebrate 80 years of independence.)