New Delhi: In a significant move aimed at restoring public confidence in India’s examination system, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has terminated the services of 47 officials as part of a sweeping institutional overhaul following the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy. The action comes amid mounting pressure over alleged irregularities in national-level examinations and forms part of a broader restructuring process recommended by a High-Level Committee of Experts (HLCE).
According to officials familiar with the development, the dismissals are only the first phase of a comprehensive clean-up exercise within the examination body. Authorities indicated that legal and criminal proceedings could also be initiated against some of the terminated officials based on findings from internal investigations and inputs received from law enforcement agencies. However, the NTA has not yet disclosed the identities, ranks or specific reasons behind the terminations.
The latest action comes against the backdrop of continuing protests by students and civil society groups at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where demonstrators have been demanding greater accountability over alleged lapses in the conduct of NEET-UG 2026. The controversy has sparked a nationwide debate on the integrity of India’s competitive examination system and the need for stronger safeguards against paper leaks and examination malpractice.
The restructuring of the NTA follows recommendations made by the seven-member High-Level Committee of Experts headed by former ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan. Constituted in June 2024, the committee submitted its report in October that year, recommending sweeping reforms to strengthen transparency, accountability and institutional capacity within the examination agency.
One of the key recommendations was to reduce the agency’s dependence on contractual and outsourced employees by building a stronger permanent workforce. Acting on these recommendations, the NTA has begun recruiting professionals for newly created leadership positions, including four general manager posts covering assessment research and psychometrics, test centre operations, information security, and vigilance, investigation and forensics.
In addition, the agency has invited applications for 16 young professional positions through the Union Public Service Commission’s Pratibha Setu portal. Earlier recruitment drives also sought candidates for several senior positions, including joint directors, deputy directors, assistant directors, a research scientist and a senior superintendent (Accounts). Specialist leadership roles such as Chief Technology Officer, Chief Finance Officer and General Manager (Human Resources) have also been advertised to modernise governance and improve institutional efficiency.
The NTA currently operates with a limited permanent workforce. Of its 39 sanctioned permanent posts, only 24 are filled, while the agency relies heavily on 73 contractual employees and 124 outsourced personnel. Officials believe strengthening permanent staffing will improve accountability and reduce vulnerabilities within the examination process.
The agency stated that the ongoing recruitment exercise represents the first concrete step towards rebuilding the institution. Further appointments and reforms across the ten functional verticals proposed by the expert committee are expected in the coming weeks.
The overhaul also includes major changes in the conduct of national entrance examinations. Beginning in 2027, NEET-UG will transition from the existing pen-and-paper format to a computer-based examination system, a move aimed at improving security and minimising the risk of paper leaks.
The reforms follow the cancellation of the original NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3 after a paper leak came to light. More than 2.2 million candidates later appeared for a re-test conducted on June 21.
Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the paper leak under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 and other relevant laws, has arrested 13 individuals in connection with the case. The investigating agency is expected to file its charge sheet later this month.
As recruitment, restructuring and criminal investigations continue, the success of these measures will be closely watched by millions of students who depend on transparent and fair competitive examinations for their academic and professional futures.
