Expressing concern over recurring examination irregularities despite government interventions, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports has recommended that the Ministry of Education publish a time-bound roadmap for implementing reforms suggested by a high-level expert panel for the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The committee, headed by Digvijaya Singh, presented its 381st Action Taken Report on the Demands for Grants (2025-26) related to the Department of Higher Education before Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan on Tuesday.
The panel endorsed Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s earlier observation that substantial improvements are needed within the NTA and urged the agency to expedite the implementation of recommendations made by the high-level committee chaired by former ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan.
According to the report, while the Ministry of Education has constituted a high-powered steering committee to oversee reforms, incidents of examination-related irregularities continue to occur, resulting in the cancellation of exams and causing anxiety among lakhs of students across the country.
“The Committee notes the steps taken by the ministry, including the constitution of a high-powered steering committee headed by K. Radhakrishnan. However, despite these measures, paper irregularities are still happening, leading to cancellation of examinations and causing significant stress to students,” the report stated.
The committee recommended wider consultations with stakeholders, including students, educational institutions, experts, and examination authorities, to establish a foolproof protocol for conducting nationwide competitive examinations.
The High-Level Committee of Experts (HLCE), constituted by the Ministry of Education under K. Radhakrishnan’s chairmanship, was tasked with recommending systemic reforms in national competitive examinations conducted by the NTA.
In another significant recommendation, the parliamentary panel highlighted concerns regarding private firms involved in examination processes. It noted that companies blacklisted by one state government or organisation often continue securing contracts elsewhere due to the absence of a centralized database.
To address this issue, the committee recommended the creation of a nationwide registry of blacklisted firms involved in examination-related activities.
Responding to the recommendation, the Department of Higher Education clarified that critical NTA functions such as question paper setting and answer-sheet evaluation are not outsourced. It added that the agency maintains records of penalised vendors and incorporates mandatory self-disclosure clauses regarding blacklisting by any government agency during procurement.
The committee also reviewed the financial position of the NTA and reiterated its earlier recommendation that the agency’s surplus funds be utilized to strengthen its operational capabilities.
According to the report, the NTA generated an estimated revenue of ₹3,512.98 crore over the last six years while spending ₹3,064.77 crore on conducting examinations, resulting in a surplus of approximately ₹448 crore.
The panel suggested that this corpus be invested in enhancing the agency’s in-house examination infrastructure and strengthening regulatory oversight and monitoring mechanisms.
In its response, the Higher Education Department stated that the NTA operates as a self-sustaining organisation without government funding. It noted that funds are required annually for booking examination centres, engaging experts, software deployment, and security arrangements. The department added that while unspent funds are generally carried forward for preparations for subsequent examinations, any surplus beyond operational requirements could be appropriately utilized.
The committee’s recommendations come amid growing scrutiny of examination management systems and renewed demands for greater transparency, accountability, and technological safeguards in India’s competitive examination framework.
