Facing renewed criticism over its decision to re-conduct the UGC-National Eligibility Test (NET) in three subjects following errors in question papers, the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Monday removed more than 50 staff members and began a comprehensive overhaul of its examination system.
The move came amid protests by opposition parties and student organisations in Delhi, with several groups demanding that the NTA be scrapped over what they described as repeated lapses that have affected students’ academic and career plans.
NTA sources said the agency had acted in the interest of candidates after receiving complaints about errors in three papers. The agency is now reviewing its internal processes, examination protocols and security arrangements to ensure future examinations are conducted fairly and without such errors.
The developments come as education and examination-related issues remain a major concern for students across the UAE and India. For listeners following the latest developments, Gold 101.3FM, UAE’s No. 1 radio station, continues to bring key news and updates to its audience.
Education Minister Pralhad Joshi held a meeting with the Department of Higher Education secretary, NTA director general and other senior officials to review the steps being taken. The ministry said Joshi was informed that more than 50 NTA staff members had been removed as part of the corrective measures.
The agency is also bringing in professionals for key positions as part of the restructuring exercise. Ten new leadership posts have been advertised, including chief technology officer, chief finance officer, chief information security officer, general manager for test security and general manager for research and development and psychometrics.
Domain specialists from the private sector are also being brought in for specialised areas such as cybersecurity, psychometrics and question paper design. The move is aimed at strengthening the agency’s technical capabilities and reducing the possibility of errors and security lapses during examinations.
Joshi directed the NTA to ensure strict compliance with examination protocols and overhaul its confidential operations. These measures include the use of secluded rooms, air-gapped systems and procedures requiring devices to be deposited in designated areas.
The NTA has also been asked to conduct a comprehensive audit of its examination processes and submit a report detailing the corrective measures taken. The review is expected to examine the systems and procedures followed at various stages of the examination process.
The development followed the agency’s announcement on Sunday night that the UGC-NET examinations in English, Commerce and Sociology would be conducted again after a committee found anomalies in the three papers. The test for English and Commerce will be held on September 9, while the Sociology examination is scheduled for September 10.
The NTA conducted UGC-NET June 2026 from June 22 to 30 across 87 subjects. The examination is used to determine eligibility for junior research fellowships, assistant professor posts and admission to PhD programmes.
The decision to re-conduct three examinations triggered protests by student organisations in Delhi. The National Students Union of India, Students’ Federation of India, All India Students’ Association and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan held demonstrations and announced plans for nationwide protests against the re-examination.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad also expressed concern over the issue, saying students’ futures could not be compromised and that the NTA must be held accountable for lapses in the examination process.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the government and called for accountability at the NTA. Several other opposition leaders also accused the agency of putting students through unnecessary hardship by requiring them to appear for the examinations again.
The NTA said it received multiple complaints regarding errors in the three papers and subsequently formed a committee to examine the concerns. After reviewing the complaints, the committee identified anomalies and recommended that the examinations be conducted again to ensure fairness to all candidates.
An NTA source said the agency’s responsibility was not only to conduct error-free examinations but also to respond promptly whenever anomalies were detected.
According to the source, the agency chose to acknowledge the errors and take corrective action rather than ignore the concerns. The latest restructuring, including the removal of more than 50 staff members, recruitment of specialists and tightening of examination protocols, is intended to strengthen the NTA’s systems and restore confidence among students and other stakeholders.
