Kashmir Impulse Desk
New Delhi, Aug 19
The Supreme Court on Wednesday called for a major institutional overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA), saying examinations must be backed by stronger infrastructure, experienced personnel and advanced technology to prevent question-paper leaks and protect the credibility of national entrance tests.
A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe was hearing petitions arising from the controversy over the NEET question-paper leak when it stressed that the goal should not simply be to plug existing gaps but to build a durable institution capable of adapting to technological change.
“Our duty is to ensure that there is a vibrant institution that the country can be proud of,” the bench observed.
The court said institutional expertise must be retained rather than lost through frequent transfers of experienced personnel.
“If you don’t institutionalise, experienced people get transferred, and the entire experience is lost,” the bench said, adding that examination systems face continuing technological changes.
The court directed the central government to file an affidavit setting out the progress made in implementing recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee, established after the 2024 NEET-UG controversy, as well as reforms proposed by the Nandan Nilekani Committee this year.
The judges said their concern extended beyond individual safeguards to the entire architecture through which examinations are designed, secured, and administered.
“Our concern is how you institutionalise the conduct of the examination – secure office premises, confidential operational infrastructure, and cyber security,” the court said.
The bench also referred to proposals for specialised divisions dealing with testing centres and central network operations, along with research and development infrastructure, a sovereign database and stronger cybersecurity systems.
The emphasis, it said, was on preserving institutional memory and expertise as technology and examination methods evolve.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the central government, told the court that several safeguards had already been introduced to “iron-fence” the examination process.
He said question papers were subjected to several stages of moderation and selection and printed under CCTV and Central Industrial Security Force surveillance.
According to Mehta, the papers were transported in GPS-tracked vehicles and stored in secure bank strong rooms.
He said sealed boxes, controlled access, videography and multiple security measures were used throughout the process, with question papers opened only immediately before examinations.
The petitions before the court include demands for restructuring or replacing the NTA, shifting NEET-UG to computer-based testing, digitally locking question papers and publishing centre-wise results to help identify irregularities.
One petition has sought the creation of an independent statutory national testing authority with greater oversight and accountability to parliament.
The Supreme Court had considered allegations surrounding the NEET-UG paper leak in 2024 and declined to order a nationwide re-examination while directing reforms to the examination system.
The issue has returned to judicial scrutiny amid continuing concerns about examination security.
The court has now asked the Centre to provide a detailed account of progress on the committee recommendations.
The matter will be heard again after three weeks.
