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The National Testing Agency (NTA) has empanelled more than 5,000 academicians, scientists, researchers, educationists, professionals, translators and moderators to support various examination-related activities, including question paper preparation, translation, scrutiny and verification. The development is part of the agency’s wider efforts to strengthen examination security following the NEET-UG paper leak in May 2026, which triggered widespread protests and led to significant changes within the organisation. As part of its restructuring exercise, the NTA also removed around 600 subject matter experts and relocated its headquarters from Okhla in South East Delhi to the Government of India Press building on Minto Road. The agency has invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) from eligible academicians, researchers, scientists, educators and translators to join its three-year panel of subject matter experts. According to sources, the empanelment process is ongoing, with no fixed deadline for applications. Officials clarified that the selected individuals are not being recruited as employees but are being added to a verified panel after undergoing multiple levels of scrutiny. The expanded panel will contribute to developing a centralised question bank, allowing the NTA to maintain a large repository of questions and reduce the possibility of examination paper leaks. Under the proposed system, experts will be assigned responsibilities such as setting questions, translating examination material, vetting papers, moderating questions, verifying answer keys, mapping curricula and conducting research and psychometric assessments. The assignments will be structured to ensure that experts do not know which questions will eventually be selected or the examination for which they are being prepared. The NTA has introduced a four-stage verification mechanism for empanelment. Initially, applicants’ eligibility, academic qualifications, professional experience and supporting documents are examined. A dedicated subject matter committee subsequently evaluates their academic credentials, research contributions and experience in question paper preparation. Applicants who clear these stages undergo additional background verification. The agency also checks whether candidates have links with coaching institutes or have previously developed question bank material for students. To safeguard confidential examination-related information, all empanelled experts must sign a comprehensive Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). They are also required to reaffirm their confidentiality commitments before undertaking every assignment. The agency has already begun developing its question bank, with plans to finalise examination papers shortly before the scheduled tests. Officials said the objective is to enable the selection and assembly of questions just minutes before an examination begins, thereby reducing the risk of advance access or leaks. The system has reportedly started being implemented in some of the entrance examinations conducted by the NTA. The agency is responsible for conducting several major national-level examinations, including JEE (Main), CUET (UG and PG), UGC-NET, CSIR-NET and NEET. While most of these examinations are conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode, NEET is conducted in the pen-and-paper format. Additionally, the NTA is working towards adopting an ‘exam-agnostic’ framework to reduce dependence on individual technology providers, examination platforms or vendors. The proposed approach is aimed at creating a more flexible examination infrastructure while strengthening the overall conduct and security of national-level entrance tests. Source: Indian Express