Fixing India's examination system: Five must-do reforms

The challenge goes far beyond making entrance tests more secure. It is about reimagining how examinations are designed, conducted and evaluated, say expertsFor hundreds of thousands of aspirants every year, the NEET-UG national entrance is the gateway to a medical college and a promising career. But when question papers leak, systems crash or results are disputed, the cost is immense: erosion of trust in a system that already carries enormous pressure.As India awaits reforms in its examination ecosystem through the Nandan Nilekani-led high-powered taskforce set up by the government, the challenge goes far beyond making entrance tests more secure. It is about rethinking how examinations are designed, conducted and evaluated. Here are five critical aspects to factor in:End-to-end digital securityExamination security must begin when the question paper itself is created. A leak can occur at any stage: question paper preparation, moderation, storage, printing, transmission or access. “The entire chain, therefore, needs encryption, restricted access, multi-factor authentication, time-bound opening of papers and a clear record of who accessed what and when,” says Syed Sultan Ahmed, chairperson, TAISI (The Association of International Schools of India). Yet technology alone will not solve the problem. A secure system also needs trained people, strong processes and clear accountability. “The aim should not be to digitise a weak system but to redesign it so that no individual, agency or vendor becomes a single point of failure,” says Ahmed.Ability beyond the examThe taskforce must examine the entire ecosystem: setting of question paper, exam centre accreditation, selection of personnel, vendor management, data security, independent audits and accountability when something goes wrong. “But we must ask a more fundamental question. It is not only about how we test but what we test. Placing a student’s future on one high-stakes examination is an outdated and narrow way of evaluating learning,” feels Ahmed.Such a format rewards examination preparation more than understanding, application, creativity or capability. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has already recommended competency-based assessment, which now needs broad-scale implementation. Portfolios, projects, classroom work, practical application and learning across the year should contribute to the final evaluation.The examination may remain important, but it should not be the only evidence of a student’s ability. Technology can strengthen an examination system. But it cannot substitute for a fairer and more meaningful way of understanding what a student has learnt.Transparent examinationsStudents should not have to accept examination outcomes purely on faith. Provisional answer keys should be published within a fixed timeframe, with a fair process for raising objections. Final decisions, scoring methods and normalisation procedures should be explained clearly. “Every important action should leave an auditable record. Grievances should have defined timelines, status tracking, escalation channels and an independent appeal process,” says Ahmed. Transparency does not weaken institutions. It corrects genuine errors, reduces speculation and strengthens public trust.A national standards frameworkIndia needs common minimum standards for all high-stakes examinations. Different agencies may use different formats, but standards of security, fairness, accessibility, candidate privacy, vendor management, auditing and grievance redressal should not vary.“Such a framework should work like an accreditation system. Before conducting an examination of national importance, an agency should demonstrate that it has the right systems, people and safeguards in place,” suggests Ahmed. Schools are routinely expected to meet rigorous standards. Examination bodies that shape the futures of millions of students should also be held to standards that are at least as strong.Blocking cyberattacksThe system must be designed on the assumption that attempts to compromise it will occur. Cybersecurity should therefore be continuous, with regular testing, real-time monitoring, encrypted data, secure back-ups and clear incident-response protocols. Insider threats require equal attention. Access must be strictly need-based, sensitive actions should require more than one authorisation, and every interaction with confidential material should be traceable.“Examination bodies should also maintain alternative question papers, back-up infrastructure, crisis-response teams and secure channels for employees and vendors to report suspicious activity,” says Ahmed.A resilient examination system is not one that never faces a threat. It is one that detects it early, contains it quickly and prevents students from paying the price.Subscribe to India Today Magazine- EndsPublished On: Aug 10, 2026 17:37 IST