Centre's high-level panel on exam reforms to meet on Monday: Sources

The Union education ministry's high-level panel for suggesting exam reforms and reviewing functioning of the National Testing Agency will meet on Monday, sources said.

Amid a row over irregularities in competitive exams, the ministry on Saturday notified a seven-member panel headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Radhakrishnan to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through the National Testing Agency (NTA).

"In an expedited action, the panel will have its first meeting tomorrow (Monday). The committee is slated to submit its report within two months. The reforms that recommended will be implemented by the next exam cycle. The panel will also look into the exam calendar and make suggestions," a source said.

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

Former AIIMS-Delhi director Randeep Guleria, University of Hyderabad Vice-Chancellor BJ Rao, professor emeritus in IIT-Madras' Department of Civil Engineering K Ramamurthy, People Strong co-founder and Karmayogi Bharat board member Pankaj Bansal, IIT-Delhi Dean of Student Affairs Aditya Mittal and Education Ministry Joint Secretary Govind Jaiswal are other members of the panel.

The committee has also been tasked with examining the existing security protocols related to the setting of the papers and other processes for different examinations and making recommendations to enhance the robustness of the system.

The NTA, which is under fire over the lapses in the conduct of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) and the University Grants Commission–National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET), on Sunday conducted a retest for the medical entrance exam for 1,563 candidates earlier awarded grace marks to make up for the loss of time at six centres.

While NEET-UG 2024 is under scanner over several irregularities, including alleged paper leaks, the UGC-NET was cancelled a day after it was conducted as the ministry received input that its integrity had been compromised.