Engaging With Parents, Zero-Error System For Exams Priorities: NTA Review Panel Chief Amid NEET-NET Mess

Taking suggestions from students and parents and building a robust, zero-error system of examinations are top priorities of the high-level panel set up by the Centre to review the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA), the panel chief said on Tuesday, a day after the committee held its first meeting.

According to Dr K Radhakrishnan, who heads the seven-member panel, the first priority for the committee is to engage with students and parents of the country and elicit their concerns and suggestions on the examination system. “It is our top priority. We are going to engage with them as far as possible in person or through the electronic media. We would like to consolidate this over the next fortnight”, the panel chief said.

The NTA is facing a storm of allegations of irregularities and question paper leaks in the conduct of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) this year, cancellation of the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) due to a paper leak on the darknet, and postponement of the CSIR-UGC-NET.

Dr Radhakrishnan is the former chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and now chairman of the Board of Governors (BoG) of IIT-Kanpur.

“The next priority for us is to build quickly a robust system for starting the test,”he said.

The committee will make recommendations to the Centre to improve the functioning of the NTA to create a robust system of examination. The panel is to submit its report to the ministry in two months.

“We are also looking at the future…especially to develop in this country a robust, tamper-proof system, a system with zero-error and a system that will lessen the difficulties and stress for students with adequate flexibility blend into each,” he added.

The panel was set up by the Ministry of Education (MoE) on June 22. The move came after education minister Dharmendra Pradhan acknowledged that the functioning of the testing agency needs improvement.

The panel will recommend reforms in the mechanism of the examination process, improvement in data security protocols, and structure and functioning of the NTA.

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