NEET-UG Row: Centre Rebuilds NTA With New Security Protocols, Specialist Staff

The Centre is undertaking a major restructuring of the National Testing Agency (NTA), with stronger security protocols, specialised staffing, tighter standard operating procedures and upgraded infrastructure following the controversies surrounding the 2024 NEET-UG examination, a report by the Indian Express said.

The details were submitted to the Supreme Court in a recent affidavit as part of the government’s response to recommendations made by the high-level committee headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan. The Centre said the reforms are being monitored by a High-Powered Steering Committee, while a separate High-Powered Task Force headed by Nandan Nilekani is examining further changes to the agency.

NTA Shifts To Functional-Vertical Structure

The Centre said NTA is being reorganised into a “functional-vertical structure” under the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan-led High-Level Committee of Experts (HLCE).

Under the earlier system, human resources were organised around individual examinations. The new structure is intended to build domain-specific capabilities across core areas of NTA’s operations.

According the report, the agency is recruiting specialists across Technology, Human Resources, Assessment R&D, Test Centres, Candidate Experience, Information Security, Test Security and Vigilance. The selection process for these professional positions is underway.

The government has also strengthened the agency’s senior leadership. A secretary-level officer has been appointed as NTA’s Director General, while the government is considering upgrading the post from joint secretary to additional secretary level and creating five joint secretary-level positions.

Two joint directors were appointed under the Central Staffing Scheme in May 2026. In August, 14 more officers were brought into NTA, including a joint secretary, four directors, a joint director, two deputy secretaries, two under secretaries, two section officers and two assistant section officers.

The new team includes officials from cadres such as the IAS, IPS, IRS, Indian Statistical Service, Indian Ordnance Factory Service and Indian Supply Service, the report said.

The Centre said the final institutional structure would be operationalised after considering recommendations from the Nilekani-led High-Powered Task Force.

New Security Measures, CBT Option Under Review

The Centre said NTA has been allotted 55,524.53 square feet of space at the Government of India Press building on Minto Road in Delhi. Confidential operations have been shifted to the new premises, which the government said would provide a more secure environment for sensitive examination-related work.

Security arrangements in the confidential area have been strengthened, with a comprehensive security protocol being prepared. The Central Industrial Security Force has deployed 39 personnel at the facility for access control and screening, including X-ray baggage checks and door-frame metal detectors, the report stated.

NTA has also designated a Chief Information Security Officer and begun the recruitment process for a General Manager for Information Security.

The Centre said new SOPs now cover the examination cycle from question-paper setting and translation to printing, packing, tracking, transportation, examination-day protocols, centre security, opening of trunks and return movement. The complete SOP has not been made public for security reasons.

Other measures include Aadhaar and facial authentication, frisking, CCTV and AI-based monitoring, mobile jammers, multi-tier oversight, coordination with state and district authorities, grievance redressal and data analytics to detect malpractice.

Meanwhile, the Nilekani-led High-Powered Task Force is examining whether NEET-UG should eventually move from pen-and-paper testing to computer-based testing.

The review is also considering the impact of a CBT shift on rural candidates, women candidates and students in areas with limited connectivity. A national strategy for expanding and standardising CBT infrastructure is also under consideration.

The task force is additionally examining further structural, cadre and governance reforms within NTA, along with student well-being, an inclusive examination framework and a time-bound implementation roadmap.

According to the report, the Centre said the High-Powered Steering Committee continues to review the implementation of the Radhakrishnan committee’s recommendations through meetings, presentations and periodic assessments, with the NTA Director General reporting on the progress of reforms.