Centre's response to exam malpractices and NTA reforms

The topic involves landmark legislation (Public Examinations Act, 2024) and significant institutional reforms to the NTA, which are directly relevant to governance, transparency, and the integrity of the civil services recruitment process.

Notes

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 has been amended to include stricter penalties, including jail terms of 5 to 10 years and fines up to ₹10 crore for organized examination fraud.
The Act mandates the establishment of fast-track courts to ensure investigations and judgments are concluded within three months.
The Delhi Police has established a Special Task Force (STF) within the Crime Branch to investigate examination-related offences across various central bodies including UPSC, SSC, and NTA.
The NTA is undergoing a structural overhaul, including the termination of 47 officials and the initiation of a recruitment drive for senior leadership roles in assessment research, cybersecurity, and digital forensics.
The Supreme Court is monitoring reforms to the NEET examination system, specifically questioning the transition to Computer-Based Tests (CBT) and the adequacy of cybersecurity frameworks to prevent data breaches.
A High-Level Committee of Experts, chaired by K. Radhakrishnan, has recommended structural reforms for the NTA, including the creation of 10 functional verticals.
The government is exploring long-term institutional solutions for examination security to move away from ad hoc measures like the deployment of the Air Force for paper transport.

Questions

Discuss the significance of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 in ensuring the integrity of recruitment and entrance examinations in India. How do the proposed amendments address the challenges of organized examination fraud? 150 words

Attempt this — 150 words in 8 min

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The transition to technology-driven examination systems, such as Computer-Based Tests (CBT), presents both opportunities for efficiency and risks to data security. In light of recent controversies, analyze the institutional reforms required to strengthen the National Testing Agency (NTA) and ensure a robust cybersecurity framework for public examinations. 250 words

Attempt this — 250 words in 11 min

0 / 250 words 11:00

Prelims

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 mandates the establishment of fast-track courts to dispose of cases within what timeframe?

Which committee was constituted by the Ministry of Education in 2024 to review the functioning of the NEET examination system?

Syllabus

Topics

Sources

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-07-25/centre-s-response-to-exam-malpractices-and-nta-reforms