Education ministry revamps NTA’s exam system; 4-tier question paper checking, new offices

The education ministry has announced a significant overhaul of the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) examination system, including security and infrastructure changes for smooth conduct of exams.

Pralhad Joshi, the union education minister, held a follow up meeting on NTA, and announced a four-tier question paper checking system will be established to strengthen the scrutiny of examination papers.

As part of the revamp, the NTA will remove 600 experts and onboard 20-25 officials in the next two to three weeks.

“NTA offices will be shifted to the new premises on a war footing where Security will be reinforced with CISF teams,” the minutes of the meeting read. The education ministry also reviewed the induction plan, it added.

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NTA to cut examination team by 600 members

The development by the education ministry comes after the recent lapses in the UGC-NET question papers and counting of marks, and the NEET UG 2026 exam paper leak.

The union education minister had issued a directive that all necessary security and related infrastructural facilities should be put in place for the smooth conduct of examinations, PTI reported

"A revamp of the examination team was undertaken with 600 experts being removed and new experts being onboarded," the ministry said in the report.

Recently, the NTA announced to re-conduct the UGC NET June 2026 examinations for English, Commerce and Sociology, and was attacked by heavy criticism from student organisations all across the country.

The student organisations demanded accountability for the UGC NET paper irregularities.

The testing agency will conduct the UGC NET re-exam for English and Commerce on September 9, whereas the Sociology exam will be held on September 10.

It also announced that no additional fees will be charged from the candidates for the re-exams.