New Delhi, Sept. 22: The Centre has told the Supreme Court that the National Testing Agency (NTA) is undergoing structural and operational reforms, while the possible shift of NEET-UG from pen-and-paper examinations to computer-based testing (CBT) is being examined for its infrastructure and equity implications.
In an additional affidavit filed in the batch of petitions concerning NTA reforms, the Union Ministry of Education said the agency was being reorganised around functional verticals to build specialised capabilities rather than continuing with an examination-wise deployment of personnel.
The affidavit was submitted in compliance with the Supreme Court’s direction to provide details of the implementation of recommendations made by the High-Level Committee of Experts (HLCE), headed by former ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan.
The Centre said 14 government officers were posted to the NTA in August 2026, including a Joint Secretary, four Directors, a Joint Director, two Deputy Secretaries, two Under Secretaries, two Section Officers and two Assistant Section Officers.
The agency’s apex leadership is headed by a Secretary-rank officer serving as Director General. The government is also considering upgrading the Director General’s post from Joint Secretary to Additional Secretary level and creating five senior positions at the Joint Secretary level.
The affidavit said the NTA’s leadership now includes officers drawn from services including the IAS, IPS, IRS and Indian Statistical Service. It is also recruiting domain specialists through the open market in technology, human resources, assessment research and development, test centres, candidate experience, information security, test security and vigilance.
The government said the High-Powered Task Force (HPTF), constituted on July 27 under former UIDAI Chairman Nandan Nilekani, had begun consultations with stakeholders, including the NTA Director General and the Department of Higher Education. It had also consulted Radhakrishnan, who chairs the High-Powered Steering Committee overseeing implementation of the HLCE recommendations.
The Radhakrishnan-led panel had made 101 recommendations covering national common entrance examinations, institutional reforms, digital education testing and periodic monitoring by the Ministry of Education.
On infrastructure, the Centre said 55,524.53 square feet of space across the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the Government of India Press building at Minto Road, New Delhi, had been allotted to the NTA. Its confidential operations had shifted there during the preceding month.
The facility has 39 CISF personnel for security, access control and screening, alongside frisking, X-ray baggage screening and Door Frame Metal Detectors.
The government also said Standard Operating Procedures had been defined for question-paper setting, translation, printing, packing, tracking, movement, examination-day procedures, centre security and result computation. Detailed procedures have not been placed in the public domain for operational-security reasons.
The HPTF is separately examining the possible migration of NEET-UG to CBT, including transition design, sequencing, infrastructure requirements and implications for rural candidates, women and students in low-connectivity districts. A national examination-grade CBT infrastructure strategy is also being formulated, with the transition requiring consultation and concurrence from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the National Medical Commission.
The affidavit said existing measures include QR-code tracking and Aadhaar authentication of question papers, transport and storage protocols, Aadhaar-based biometric and face authentication, multi-layer frisking, mobile jammers, CCTV monitoring, AI tools and a five-tier oversight system.
The Supreme Court had recently indicated that it may visit the NTA office to assess its examination-conducting arrangements, including manpower. The Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe stressed that institutional reform recommendations should be implemented.
The matter is listed for further hearing on October 9.
