In the wake of the recent controversies involving the UG NEET and UGC NET exams, the ministry of education has constituted an expert committee to give recommendations on transparent, fair and smooth conduct of exams.

In an official communication on Sunday, the ministry said that the committee will submit its report within two months. This is to improve the conduct of exams which is facilitated by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The committee will be chaired by Dr K Radhakrishnan, who is also the Former Chairman of ISRO and currently the Chairman, BoG, IIT Kanpur.

The seven-member committee also have Dr Randeep Guleria, former director, AIIMS Delhi, Prof B J Rao, vice chancellor, Central University of Hyderabad, Prof Ramamurthy K, Prof Emeritus, IIT Madras, Pankaj Bansal, co-founder, Karmayogi Bharat (Indian civil services capacity building), Prof Aditya Mittal, dean of student affairs, IIT Delhi and Govind Jaiswal, joint secretary, ministry of education.

The committee will submit its recommendations on reform in the mechanism of the examination process – which will analyze the system end-to-end exam process to curb any breach and review standard operating procedures.

They will also evaluate the existing data security process and protocols of NTA to recommend measures for its improvement besides improving security protocols for paper setting. Experts will also suggest organization structure and functioning changes for the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The committee can also co-opt any subject matter expert to assist them according to the order by Varun Bharadwaj, director, department of higher education.

Responding to this, UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said, “Forming a High-Level Committee of Experts with Dr K. Radhakrishnan as Chairman is a welcome step towards assuring entrance examinations’ transparent, smooth, and fair conduct.” 

Also read: Protests, social media furore over UGC-NET and NEET controversies