The National Testing Agency (NTA) has initiated a major institutional rebuilding process by recruiting senior professionals and engaging young talent through the Union Public Service Commission's (UPSC) Pratibha Setu portal. The move marks the first concrete step towards implementing the recommendations of the High-Level Committee of Experts chaired by Professor K. Radhakrishnan.
The autonomous body under the Ministry of Education has advertised four General Manager positions on contract, each with an initial tenure of three years. These roles are aimed at strengthening key areas, including academic assessment, operations, cyber security and vigilance.
The General Manager for Assessment Research, Development and Psychometrics will lead NTA's academic and measurement science functions. The role includes overseeing item banks, normalisation methodology, equating procedures, and pilot projects involving computer-adaptive testing and AI-assisted assessments. Candidates must hold a doctorate in psychometrics, educational measurement, statistics or a related field, along with significant senior leadership experience in testing organisations.
Another key position is the General Manager for Test Centre Network and Operations, who will oversee NTA's network of test centres across more than 500 cities and select international locations. The role includes maintaining standards for empanelment, capacity planning, accessibility for candidates with disabilities, and examination-day coordination with state and district authorities.
The General Manager for Information Security, who will also serve as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), will be responsible for safeguarding NTA's systems, networks and data. The role includes ensuring compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the Information Technology Act, and CERT-In guidelines, while operating a round-the-clock Security Operations Centre.
Meanwhile, the General Manager for Vigilance, Investigation and Forensics will head internal inquiries into examination malpractices, build digital forensics capabilities, and coordinate with agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Intelligence Bureau (IB), and state police under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
In parallel, NTA has, for the first time, opened recruitment for 16 Young Professionals through the UPSC's Pratibha Setu portal. Of these, 12 positions are for academic research, two for legal research, and two for finance and accounts. The selected candidates, drawn from Civil Services Examination aspirants, will be appointed for an initial period of 24 months, extendable up to 36 months based on performance.
These appointments, along with a separate expression of interest for empanelment of subject matter experts and translators, are part of a systematic effort to strengthen NTA's academic, operational, technological and integrity capabilities across the 10 functional verticals recommended by the expert committee. Further recruitment is expected in the coming weeks.
In another major development, as part of the Centre's broader efforts to reform the country's examination system, the NTA on Friday sacked 47 officials, sources in the Education Ministry said. Disciplinary action is also expected against some of those dismissed as the government steps up efforts to enforce accountability within the agency.
The dismissals are part of a comprehensive overhaul of the NTA, which has faced intense scrutiny following allegations of examination paper leaks. A complete restructuring of the agency is expected to be carried out over the next month.
A key focus of the overhaul will be the NTA's outsourcing framework for examination-related work. According to sources, the government plans to revamp the outsourcing model to enhance oversight, strengthen accountability and eliminate vulnerabilities in the conduct of examinations. The reforms will be implemented based on the recommendations of the expert committee with the aim of creating a robust and leak-proof examination system.
Amid widespread outrage over paper leak incidents, the Centre is also planning sweeping structural and technological reforms to build a secure examination ecosystem while improving transparency, accountability and operational efficiency across the agency.
The proposed reforms follow sustained criticism of the NTA after the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, which triggered nationwide outrage and renewed demands for a stronger and more secure examination framework. The revamp is expected to significantly reshape the agency's functioning as the government seeks to reinforce institutional safeguards, improve accountability and restore public confidence in national-level entrance examinations.
The NTA currently conducts 15-20 national-level entrance and recruitment examinations, including JEE, NEET and CUET.
