Centre's 7-member panel to oversee NTA's functioning to meet amid exam row

The Centre's seven-member high-level committee formed to oversee transparency and look into the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA) to meet on Monday, stated the sources at the Education Ministry.

Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of Education announced the formation of a high-level committee of experts to make recommendations on reforms in the mechanism of the examination process, improvements in data security protocols, and the functioning of the NTA.

The seven-member committee, led by Isro former chairman Dr K. Radhakrishnan, will submit its report to the ministry in the next two months.

"To ensure transparent, smooth, and fair conduct of examinations through the National Testing Agency (NTA), the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education constituted a High-Level Committee of Experts to make recommendations on reform in the mechanism of examination process improvement in data security protocols and the structure and functioning of National Testing Agency," the ministry said.

The NTA, which conducted the NEET-UG exams, is facing criticism over alleged irregularities in the exams. This resulted in several protests across the country, with protestors and political parties demanding to disband the NTA. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720, which added to the concerns.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday registered a criminal case for irregularities in the exam and formed special teams to probe the matter.

As per the agency's FIR, certain "isolated incidents" occurred in a few states during the conduct of the NEET (UG) 2024 examination, which was held on May 5, 2024. Special teams have been formed by the CBI to investigate the matter.

Meanwhile, NTA claimed that its website and all its web portals are fully secure.

The NTA further dismissed the allegations of the portals being compromised, calling them "wrong and misleading.