Computer-based testing (CBT) can eliminate nearly 95% of the vulnerabilities that allow paper leaks Students will see “fundamental shifts” in the way the National Testing Agency (NTA) operates in the next eight to 10 months, Pankaj Bansal, one of the seven members of the reform committee headed by K Radhakrishnan, said in an interview with HT.
In calling for model punishment for the “exam mafia,” Bansal — a board member of the Educational Testing Service (ETS), a global non-profit organization that develops and administers standardized tests — expressed confidence that NEET’s shift to a cognitive behavioral therapy format next year will restore public trust. Edited excerpts:
After the first NEET controversy 18 months ago, NTA is under the microscope once again. How do you rate its response?
There is a problem and it needs to be acknowledged. But students and families deserve the full, comprehensive picture, not a one-sided narrative. Our committee worked in depth for about six months and made 95 recommendations. If you include supplementary proposals, the number exceeds 100. A large number of them have already been implemented. But reforms of this magnitude cannot happen overnight. Institutional change takes time.
There is also the exam mafia that constantly tries to identify vulnerabilities even while implementing fixes. That is why this must be viewed as an evolving process.
What are the biggest reforms still needed at the NTA?
Three things. First, the punishment imposed on the exam mafia must be of the highest level and delivered quickly. You must establish a principle so strong that no one dares to repeat it. Second, our report strongly recommended computer-based testing. Pen and paper tests involving over 2.2 million candidates create vulnerabilities at every stage – printing, transporting and securing papers across thousands of centres. Cognitive behavioral therapy solves approximately 95% of these problems because the coded papers can reach centers only hours before the test. Third, covert processes – both before preparing papers and during the verification of candidates into positions – must become much stronger.
Has the NTA acted seriously on the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee?
definitely. One of the key recommendations was that a senior officer of the rank of Additional Secretary or above should take over the leadership of the NTA. It happened. Now you have Abhishek Singh as Director General of NTA, who has already shown his mettle in large-scale digital governance projects. He had only recently taken over, and by then this year’s examination cycle had already begun.
I am very confident that students will see fundamental transformations over the next eight to ten months. The decision to effectively transition NEET to CBT has been made, and this is a major structural reform.
Investigators have pointed out possible internal collusion of NTA in NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. How can this be prevented?
We recommended that NTA build a stronger permanent workforce rather than rely heavily on contract employees. We also recommended institutionalizing 10 core functions and building a strong internal technology team. If an insider is found guilty, the punishment should be exemplary. This sends a message everywhere.
We also recommended that testing be conducted increasingly in government buildings so that the system relies more on accountable public servants than on external operators. The cancellation of NEET-UG this year also sent a strong message to parents and students who pay huge sums for leaked papers: Abbreviations do not help in life.
India has never conducted NEET on this scale in a cognitive behavioral therapy setting. Is the infrastructure ready for NEET in CBT mode from next year?
This is quite possible if the preparation is systematic. There are two layers – back-end encryption and security standards, which can match global standards, and physical infrastructure such as working devices, backup power, switchboards, and network stability. These are solvable implementation challenges.
We have also proposed future solutions such as mobile cash transfer vans to reach underserved areas and ensure that no child is excluded due to geography or access restrictions. If multi-stage, multi-shift testing is adopted, the infrastructure burden will be significantly reduced.
Why did the committee recommend multi-stage testing and attempt limits in NEET-UG?
We should only view these reforms through the lens of paper leaks. It’s about balancing meritocracy, inclusivity and fairness.
Multi-stage testing reduces the stress of a single high-stakes day and creates a more comprehensive assessment framework. As for the limits of the attempt, justice requires balance. Unlimited attempts create distortions.
Let me be frank: the argument that multiple transformations make the exam “non-standardized” is flawed logic. Who says that a test ceases to be standardized because it is administered in two periods? This is primitive thinking. Normalization is happening globally. We are not inventing anything new. We need progressive testing systems, not reactionary excuses.
The students are still deeply distressed. Why should they once again trust the NTA-run examination system?
We deeply understand their pain. Our committee received more than 37,000 suggestions through digital submissions and physical consultations. We met with students, parents, school leaders, state authorities, and testing experts. This was not a symbolic act. It was a serious national reform. Can anyone guarantee that nothing will go wrong again? No system in the world can fulfill this promise.
But I am very optimistic. The reforms are real. The intent is real. Implementation is underway. Students should remain optimistic and not lose their confidence because of the criminal actions of some. Those responsible will face the law of the land and the law of God.
These students are the future of India. Every reform we push is for them, and I am confident that the NTA and the Ministry of Education will leave no stone unturned to restore trust.
