Supreme Court Seeks Institutional Reform of NTA

• 20 Aug 2026

On 19th August 2026, the Supreme Court reiterated the need to institutionalise the National Testing Agency (NTA) with stronger infrastructure, cybersecurity and permanent examination mechanisms to prevent future paper leaks.

Key Points

• NTA Reform: The Court called for a robust examination institution capable of retaining expertise and adapting to technological changes.
• Secure Infrastructure: It stressed the need for dedicated testing centres, secure infrastructure and stronger cybersecurity systems.
• Permanent Mechanism: The Court sought details on creating permanent mechanisms for examination-related operations, including question-paper security.
• Nandan Nilekani Committee: The Court also sought implementation details of recommendations further refined by the Nandan Nilekani Committee.
• Question-Paper Security: The Court specifically sought measures for permanently securing and sealing question papers.
• Senior Officers: It sought details on appointing senior officials and building institutional expertise within the NTA.
• Existing Safeguards: The Centre said question papers are transported in sealed boxes under CCTV and CISF surveillance.