'Conduct audit of all exam processes, take corrective steps': Centre to NTA after 2 major exams disrupted

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has been directed to conduct a thorough audit of all exam processes and submit a report on the corrective action taken, the Union education ministry said on Monday. Protesters celebrate the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union education minister, in Mumbai last month. (AFP)The development came a day after the agency cancelled the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) exams for English, commerce and sociology following a raft of factual, typographical and translation errors in the question papers. Two months ago, the premier testing agency scrapped the May 3 NEET-UG examination after a paper leak. The order to the NTA was issued at a meeting chaired by Union education minister Pralhad Joshi.“Education Minister Shri @JoshiPralhad held a meeting with the Secretary, Department of Higher Education, DG @NTA_Exams, and other senior officials. The Minister was apprised on the steps taken by NTA in the wake of recent issues, particularly with reference to reforming the overall system,” the ministry posted on X. “NTA has been directed to conduct a thorough audit of all exam processes and submit a report on corrective action taken,” it added. The ministry said more than 50 staff have been removed from the NTA. Domain specialists are being brought in from the private sector for cyber-security, psychometrics, question-paper design and other specialised areas. “Ten new professional leadership positions (Chief Technology Officer, Chief Finance Officer, CISO, GM, Test Security, GM, R&D and Psychometrics, and others) have been advertised and are being onboarded,” it said. At the meeting, Joshi directed that strict compliance be ensured of the established exam protocols. He also called for a complete overhaul of Confidential Operations (CONOPS) architecture, secluded rooms, air-gapped systems, device-deposit protocols be implemented on war footing.