Panel flags NTA staff shortage, moots new question bank system

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is India’s national body for conducting major entrance examinations. Formed in 2017, it manages tests that help colleges and universities select students, making its reliability important for millions of applicants.

For example, the report says NEET-UG 2026 was cancelled on May 12 after at least 120 questions matched a circulated guess paper. This shows how NTA’s work depends on secure question creation, confidential handling, accurate delivery, and quick detection of problems.

The agency is under scrutiny: 16 of 39 permanent posts were vacant, and its director general served on additional charge from June 2024 to April 2026. A parliamentary panel wants permanent specialists, updated question banks, stronger government-run computer centres, and public reporting of irregularities. These changes aim to make exams fairer, safer, and less dependent on contractors.

NTA’s staffing shortage is serious because 16 of its 39 sanctioned permanent posts were vacant. That left about 41% of its core positions unfilled, weakening its ability to manage major exams independently.

The shortage also affected leadership. NTA’s director general, responsible for daily operations, was handled as an additional charge from June 2024 to April 2026, nearly two years. The officers holding it also had other major responsibilities.

The committee linked these gaps to reliance on deputed officers and private contractors. It recommended permanent in-house specialists in examination security, technology, data analysis, psychometrics, and logistics. Building this expertise would reduce dependence on short-term staff and strengthen examination security.

Major exams depend on confidential questions, secure technology, and consistent oversight. Deputed officials rotate after two or three years, while contractors and private centres may have divided responsibilities. That can weaken institutional memory, blur accountability, and create more points where sensitive information or procedures can fail.

After NEET-UG 2026 was cancelled, at least 120 questions matched a previously prepared guess paper. The panel linked the wider crisis to examination-security concerns, though the article does not prove staffing caused this incident. Private testing centres were also described as a weak link because security standards and supervision may vary across locations.

NTA had 16 vacancies among 39 permanent posts, and its director general remained on additional charge nearly two years. It also employed 76 contractual and 136 outsourced personnel in 2025-26. The panel urged permanent specialists, government-run centres, and stronger in-house control over logistics and security.

The NEET-UG 2026 controversy began when authorities cancelled the examination after serious doubts about paper security. The exam was held May 3, but at least 120 questions matched a guess paper. The overlap raised fears that the paper had been compromised, threatening confidence in students’ results.

The alleged problem was detected only a week later, triggering protests and political pressure. The education ministry said no NTA paper leak occurred from 2017 through 2025, but acknowledged malpractice and disruptions. The committee said that claim differed from some members’ views and sought public reporting of irregularities.

Its reform proposals included a continuously updated question bank, digital question selection, and strict quarantine for final-paper experts. It also urged permanent specialists, public disclosure, and stronger government-run testing centres. They also reflected institutional weakness: 16 of 39 permanent posts were vacant, and 136 workers were outsourced.

A continuously updated question bank stores many tested questions and regularly adds new ones. Near the exam, NTA could select a fresh paper digitally instead of relying on one predictable, long-circulated set. Expert review would check accuracy, fairness, translations, and conflicts of interest. Strict quarantine would keep final reviewers and papers isolated until testing finishes. This reduces the number of people who can copy or share the final paper.

The article says NEET-UG 2026 was cancelled after at least 120 questions matched a guess paper. A larger, changing bank would make pattern-based copying harder. Drawing questions shortly before the exam also narrows the window for leaks. Quarantine helps because even experts cannot pass on the final paper during the test.

This is a recommendation, not a guarantee, and the source reports no implementation results. The panel called question-bank investment the most viable long-term defence. It urged experts from IITs, AIIMS, and IIMs, plus conflict checks. NTA’s 16 vacancies among 39 permanent posts show why secure in-house staff and technology matter.

Computer-based testing (CBT) presents questions and records answers on a computer, instead of paper. Computer-adaptive testing (CAT) goes further: each next question changes difficulty based on the previous answer. CBT can improve speed and reduce printing; CAT can measure ability more precisely with fewer, carefully calibrated questions.

For NTA, a question-bank system could support both approaches. The panel proposed drawing questions digitally close to the exam, then having quarantined experts vet the final paper. In CAT, a correct answer could trigger a harder question. An incorrect answer could bring an easier one, with scoring estimating ability rather than totals.

The committee proposed a phased shift to CBT using 1,000 secure government-run centres, at least one per district. NTA’s ₹590 crore surplus could fund centres and mock tests. The article does not say NTA currently uses CAT. CAT would require calibrated questions, transparent scoring, and accessible technology. NTA also needs permanent specialists; 16 of its 39 permanent posts remain vacant.

Psychometrics is the science of measuring abilities, knowledge, and other traits through tests. It helps exam designers check whether questions truly measure understanding, consistently, and without unfair advantages from coaching or familiarity. It does not replace subject expertise; it provides evidence about whether a test works as intended across different student groups.

The panel warned that exams rewarding patterns and shortcuts can widen inequality because affluent students can afford expensive coaching. Psychometric analysis can test whether a question is too easy, confusing, predictable, or weakly connected to the intended skill. This encourages varied, concept-focused questions rather than repeated patterns.

Today, the panel recommends permanent NTA psychometrics specialists and a continuously updated question bank. NTA has 16 vacancies among 39 sanctioned permanent posts, making in-house expertise important. Better measurement, combined with secure question selection, could make scores reflect knowledge rather than coaching access.