Centre’s panel on entrance exam reforms seeks suggestions from stakeholders

The high-level committee constituted by the central government, to bring reforms in the way entrance examinations are conducted in the country by the National Testing Agency (NTA), on Friday began seeking suggestions from stakeholders on their website, a process that will go on till July 7.

The seven-member panel, headed by former ISRO chairman R Radhakrishnan, has been tasked with making recommendations on reforms in the examination processes, enhancing data security protocols, and reviewing the structure and operations of the NTA.

“The committee is seeking suggestions, views and ideas from stakeholders, particularly students and parents, from June 27 to July 7. The suggestions can be submitted using the ‘mygov’ platform,” the Union education ministry said on Friday.

The committee held its first meeting on Monday, during which it decided to reach out to parents and students to understand their issues with the way the NTA conducts exams and seek their suggestions to improve it.

The panel has been formed at a time when the NTA is under scanner over the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Undergraduate programs (NEET-UG) this year, the cancellation of the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) due to paper leak on the darknet, and the postponement the CSIR-UGC-NET.

Following the uproar, the Centre sacked NTA chief Subodh Kumar Singh, and replaced him with Indian Administrative Service officer Pradeep Singh Kharola.

The other members of the Radhakrishnan committee include former AIIMS-Delhi director Randeep Guleria, Hyderabad University vice-chancellor Professor BJ Rao, Professor Ramamurthy K from IIT-Madras, among others.