Image Source: ANI
The Ministry of Education recently announced the formation of a high-level committee to oversee and enhance the transparency and fairness of examinations amidst ongoing controversies surrounding exams like NEET and UGC-NET. Headed by Dr. K Radhakrishnan, former ISRO chairperson and current chairman of the board of governors at IIT Kanpur, the committee comprises distinguished experts from various fields.
Dr. Randeep Guleria, former director of AIIMS, Prof. BJ Rao from Central University of Hyderabad, Prof. Ramamurthy K from IIT Madras, Pankaj Bansal, co-founder of People Strong and Board Member of Karmayogi Bharat, and Prof. Aditya Mittal from IIT Delhi are among the committee members. The Ministry’s joint secretary, Govind Jaiswal, will serve as the member secretary.
The committee’s mandate includes recommending reforms to the examination process, enhancing data security protocols, and evaluating the structure and operations of the National Testing Agency (NTA). It will conduct a comprehensive review of NTA’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and propose measures to bolster their effectiveness. Furthermore, the panel will devise monitoring mechanisms to ensure adherence to these SOPs across all levels.
Critical to its role, the committee will focus on strengthening data security measures within NTA, assessing current protocols, and suggesting improvements. It will also provide recommendations on optimizing NTA’s organizational structure, defining clear roles and responsibilities for its personnel. The Ministry of Education expects the committee to deliver its findings within two months from the issuance of the directive. This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to improving examination processes and addressing concerns related to fairness, transparency, and security in high-stakes exams across India.
