Nandan Nilekani to Lead Exam Reforms Task Force

India has constituted a high-powered task force on examination reforms to review the National Testing Agency (NTA) examination system and recommend measures for reliability, transparency, and technology use. The task force is chaired by Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys and founding chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

National Testing Agency and Examination Reforms

The National Testing Agency was established in 2017 as an autonomous testing organisation under the Ministry of Education. It conducts major entrance examinations in India, including the Joint Entrance Examination and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, which are centralised computer-based or pen-and-paper assessments for higher education admissions. The task force has been formed after concerns linked to examination irregularities, including the NEET paper leak case. Its mandate covers structural reforms, technology-based safeguards, and measures to improve the credibility of public examinations.

Members and Institutional Background

The multidisciplinary task force includes former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, former Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal, and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena. Such committees in India often combine administrative, scientific, and technical expertise for policy review. Nandan Nilekani has earlier led major digital governance initiatives in India. He served as the founding chairman of UIDAI, the statutory authority created in 2009 for the Aadhaar programme.

Public Examinations Law and Related Provisions

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, provides a legal framework against cheating, paper leaks, and other unfair practices in public examinations. The proposed amendment bill for 2026 is expected to strengthen punishments and introduce time-bound investigations for exam-related offences. The Lok Sabha is the lower house of the Parliament of India, and it considers bills introduced by the government under the legislative procedure laid down in the Constitution of India.

Important Facts for Exams

• The National Testing Agency was set up in 2017 under the Ministry of Education.
• UIDAI was established in 2009 and is linked with the Aadhaar identification system.
• The Lok Sabha is the directly elected lower house of Parliament and has 543 elected members.
• The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 deals with unfair practices in public examinations.

The task force is expected to submit recommendations on NTA examination reforms at the earliest. The government has linked the exercise with upcoming public examinations and proposed legal changes in 2026.