NEW DELHI: Minister of Education Pralhad Joshi has reviewed preparations for the upcoming national-level examinations with officials of the National Testing Agency (NTA). He discussed examination security, candidates’ convenience and coordination across the examination ecosystem.
Joshi, in a post on social media platform X, emphasised the need for timely communication, efficient conduct of tests and a seamless experience for students and aspirants.
Convened a meeting with the Secretary, Department of Higher Education, @EduMinOfIndia and senior officials of @NTA_Exams. Reviewed preparations for upcoming national-level examinations, with a focus on strengthening examination security, improving candidate convenience, ensuring… pic.twitter.com/9edTGT22MJ
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) October 1, 2026
A separate meeting with senior officials of the Department of Higher Education also discussed key issues concerning the higher education sector, with an emphasis on innovation, adaptability and student-centric approaches.
“Held a meeting with senior officials of the Department of Higher Education, @EduMinOfIndia, to deliberate on matters concerning the higher education sector and assess key areas requiring focused attention. Emphasised the importance of innovation, adaptability and student-centric approaches in preparing our youth for the opportunities of a rapidly changing world,” Joshi posted on social media platform X.
The meeting assume significance as the ministry is working on a national Computer-Based Testing (CBT) infrastructure strategy amid discussions on a possible shift of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) from pen-and-paper to online mode.
The proposed CBT infrastructure strategy plans to expand the availability of examination centres, standardise their infrastructure and create a system capable of supporting large national-level entrance examinations across the country.
The infrastructure strategy is also being considered as part of the broader examination reform exercise, which covers security, technology, accessibility and inclusion.
The Nandan Nilekani-led task force, set up in July, has been mandated to recommend comprehensive reforms in the conduct, security, design and governance of public examinations, including those conducted by the NTA. The panel is consulting stakeholders as it works on recommendations for strengthening the examination system.
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The NTA currently conducts several major examinations in computer-based mode, including JEE-Main, CUET-UG, CUET-PG, UGC-NET and CSIR-UGC-NET. NEET-UG, which sees nearly 25 lakh candidates appear annually, remains one of the agency’s largest pen-and-paper examinations.
The possible shift to CBT has gained attention amid the Centre’s wider examination reform efforts following the 2024 NEET-UG paper leak controversy. The government is expected to take a final call on the examination’s format and transition timeline after considering the task force’s recommendations.