Amid growing scrutiny over the conduct of competitive exams, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said that the government is committed to ensuring transparency and fairness in entrance tests like NEET, JEE, and CUET. He reiterated the Centre's zero-tolerance policy towards malpractice and highlighted ongoing reforms to strengthen the National Testing Agency (NTA).
India currently has a massive student population of nearly 30 crore between the ages of 5 and 23, making the task of conducting large-scale competitive exams both crucial and challenging. This year alone, over 22 lakh students appeared for NEET, around 12 lakh for JEE, and nearly 15 lakh for CUET, the minister said.
Speaking at the NDTV Education Conclave about the conduct of these exams in 2024, Mr Pradhan said, "This year, the NEET, JEE, and CUET examinations are being conducted successfully. While there were challenges last time, a committee was formed, solutions were identified, and steps have been taken to prevent any recurrence."
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Addressing concerns over irregularities in NEET, Mr Pradhan emphasised that the government is actively working to reform the NTA. "There can be challenges when a country with such a large population conducts examinations, but we are clear that we have zero tolerance for any malpractices," he said.
Explaining the rationale behind administrative reforms, the minister said that keeping officials in the same role for extended periods can lead to vulnerabilities. "If we keep more people permanent in an institute, the possibility of malpractices and unfair means increases," he noted, citing earlier structural changes in the Railway Recruitment Board as a precedent.
As part of NTA's restructuring, the leadership of the agency has been elevated. "Earlier, the Chief Executive of NTA was a Joint Secretary or Additional Secretary level officer. This time, we have assigned the responsibility to a Secretary-level officer," the minister said, underscoring the government's intent to make the agency more accountable and robust.
Calling the NTA an "evolving institution," the minister said that the aim is to equip it with capable individuals and technology-driven systems to prevent mismanagement and uphold exam integrity.
