Before the NEET-UG exam was canceled due to paper leak, a parliamentary standing committee supported the pen-and-paper approach to entrance exams, according to a report by news agency PTI. The committee cited the “leaky” record of exams such as those conducted by UPSC and CBSE in its recommendation.
The committee advised the National Testing Agency (NTA) to “study these models closely and implement them”.
However, the recommendations issued by the parliamentary committee are in stark contrast to the suggestions made by the high-level committee led by ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan which recommended shifting from pen-and-paper model to computer-based testing.
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But the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, chaired by Digvijaya Singh, supported greater reliance on paper-based examinations while acknowledging the trade-offs involved in both systems.
“The committee was informed that in terms of securing the examination process, the trade-offs are as follows. Pen-and-paper tests provide more opportunities for paper leaks, while computer-based tests (CBT) can be hacked in a way that is difficult to detect,” the report said.
“Between the two, the committee supported greater focus on pen-and-paper tests as there are several models of such tests which have been watertight for several years – including CBSE exams and UPSC exams,” she added.
The committee also recommended the creation of a nationwide blacklist of companies involved in paper preparation, administration and proofreading that have been banned by any government or governmental organization, arguing that such entities should not be allowed to secure contracts elsewhere.
It also noted that NTA generated a surplus of approx $448 crore over the last six years and recommended that the amount be used to enhance the screening and monitoring capabilities of the agency.
(With inputs from PTI)
