NTA to only conduct entrance tests as part of exam reforms

NEW DELHI: The National Testing Agency (NTA) will, from 2025, conduct only entrance exams for higher education institutions and not recruitment exams, a move aimed at improving its functioning — the agency has been roiled by controversies, mostly around paper leaks — and in keeping with the recommendations of a high-level committee set up in June 2024.

- Sanjay Maurya

The change was announced by Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday. He also announced the restructuring of NTA, with 10 new posts covering administration, digital infrastructure, IT security being created in an effort aimed at error-free examination process for students. He added that the ministries of education and health are discussing whether the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate (NEET-UG), for admission to medical colleges, be conducted in online or offline mode.

The test is currently conducted in offline mode, with candidates filling in multiple-choice answers in an answer sheet, but the process has been plagued by irregularities.