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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, July 26, announced the constitution of a high-powered task force headed by Nandan Nilekani to recommend reforms to revamp India's examination system by making it more reliable, transparent and technology-driven.
The announcement comes amid continuing political fallout over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, with the Congress dismissing the move as a bid to repair the Prime Minister's "irretrievably compromised image" and questioning why the recommendations of an earlier expert panel remain unimplemented.
PM Modi made the announcement through a video message shared on Instagram, a day after former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned following nationwide protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and the subsequent re-examination.
"We should ensure that our exam system can be trusted, transparent and tech-savvy. Under the leadership of renowned technology expert Nandan Nilekani, a high-powered task force will be formed, which will focus on exam reforms," Modi said.
The Prime Minister said the government had already taken several measures to safeguard students' futures, including action against those involved in examination malpractice, the setting up of fast-track courts and the enactment of stricter legal provisions to tackle paper leaks.
According to The Hindu, the multidisciplinary panel will focus on revamping the National Testing Agency (NTA). Besides Nandan Nilekani, the committee will also include former ISRO chairman S Somnath, former Intelligence Bureau director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras director V Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena.
However, the Congress accused the government of repackaging old promises. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh pointed out that after widespread irregularities in examinations, including the NEET-UG paper leak in 2024, the Union government had constituted a high-level committee headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to recommend reforms for ensuring transparent and fair examinations.
"The Modi government has still not finished implementing the K Radhakrishnan Committee's 101 recommendations. In fact, for most of the two years between the 2024 and 2026 paper leaks, it did not even appoint a full-time Director General for the National Testing Agency. This is ultimately only a high-powered attempt to fix the Prime Minister's irretrievably compromised image," the Congress leader said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi officially assumed charge as the new Union Education Minister on Sunday at Kartavya Bhavan. The Minister who also holds the portfolios of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy, chaired a review meeting on the implementation of key education schemes.
Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary attended the meeting.
