Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has announced upcoming reforms aimed at minimizing errors in national entrance exams, starting January 2025. The reforms, based on the Radhakrishnan Committee's recommendations, focus on enhancing the National Testing Agency's (NTA) processes and security measures. Pradhan emphasized the importance of state government collaboration to ensure the integrity of entrance tests.
The Radhakrishnan Committee, led by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan, was established to review the processes and security of the NTA after concerns arose regarding examination integrity. The panel submitted a report proposing several changes to streamline and secure exam conduct. Pradhan highlighted the need for state government support in implementing these reforms, particularly urging cooperation from state education departments.
The committee's recommendations include transitioning to online entrance exams where feasible, implementing a hybrid model with digitally transmitted question papers, and introducing a multi-stage NEET-UG format to reduce student stress and improve evaluation accuracy. Additionally, the committee suggested increasing permanent staffing at the NTA to ensure consistent, secure exam processes.
Pradhan's announcement came during a national workshop on higher and technical education, where he addressed education secretaries and directors responsible for higher education in states and Union Territories. The workshop aimed to further the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) and assess its progress so far.
The Indian government is optimistic that these reforms will ensure a more reliable and error-free examination process going forward. Pradhan's call for state government collaboration underscores the collective responsibility of both the central and state governments in achieving zero-error entrance exams.
