Jagran Bureau, New Delhi: In a major step to prevent leaks in national-level examinations like NEET and JEE, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has rolled out a sweeping overhaul. The agency is creating a large question bank and improving centre security, following recommendations from a high-powered exam reform committee led by Nandan Nilekani.

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What Is Nilekani's Strategy?

The plan targets the vulnerability of papers being prepared early and kept in storage, which increases the risk of leaks.

Nilekani suggested stopping the practice of exam sets being prepared weeks in advance.

"Question papers do not need to be prepared weeks in advance; they can be assembled just a few hours before the exam from a robust pool of verified questions. If there is no pre-printed paper sitting in storage, there is nothing to leak," Nilekani was quoted as saying.

By picking questions randomly from a question bank just hours before the exam starts, the NTA aims to stop paper leaks.

Military Veterans, Retired Teachers, And Grade-8 Officers To Supervise Exams

Alongside question bank creation, the NTA is overhauling security arrangements at examination centres by hiring experienced supervisors through a merit-based selection process instead of simple recommendations.

  • Eligibility: Retired military and paramilitary personnel (minimum rank of Subedar Major or equivalent), retired teachers, and central or state government officials at Grade-8 level or above can apply.
  • Merit-Based Selection: Candidates will be chosen based on their track record and merit to ensure strict vigilance and zero malpractice at test centres.

Call For Subject Experts And Translators

To build an error-free, multi-language question bank, the NTA has started a nationwide drive to hire teachers, translators, and subject experts.

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  • No Fixed Deadline: The application window remains open, allowing experts to join at any point.
  • Flexible Roles: Contributors can participate in drafting original questions, reviewing content, translating, or preparing accurate answer keys.
  • Mandatory Confidentiality: Participating academics must maintain confidentiality regarding their association with the NTA.