- National Testing Agency sacks more staff and faces an audit after errors force cancellation of three national entrance exams
India’s National Testing Agency (NTA) is facing renewed scrutiny after a fresh series of examination failures, with more staff dismissed and an audit ordered as pressure mounts for broader reform of the country’s entrance-testing system.
The Education Ministry said the NTA will eventually submit a report detailing the corrective measures it has taken. The move came a day after the agency canceled three national entrance exams that had already been conducted, citing substantial errors in the question papers.
The errors included factual and translation mistakes, misspelled names of key figures and numerous questions repeated from previous years. Students affected by the cancellations will have to retake the exams in September.
The latest setback has revived memories of the medical entrance exam canceled in May after a question paper was leaked. That controversy triggered nationwide protests in July and culminated in the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Opposition leaders and prominent student organizations have renewed calls for the NTA to be dissolved, criticism the agency has faced since at least May, news agencies reports.
In response, the NTA has dismissed additional staff and begun reviewing its internal processes and protocols. The Education Ministry said newly appointed Education Minister Pralhad Joshi was informed Monday that more than 50 staff members had been removed from the agency.
Joshi also directed officials to ensure strict compliance with established examination protocols and ordered a “complete overhaul” of the agency’s confidential operations architecture, including secluded rooms, air-gapped systems and device-deposit protocols, to be implemented on an urgent basis.
“The minister directed that strict compliance be ensured of the established exam protocols and also directed that a Complete overhaul of Confidential Operations (CONOPS) architecture, secluded rooms, air-gapped systems, device-deposit protocols be implemented on war footing,” it said.
