ExaminationReforms – Congress Questions Centre’s Fresh Panel on Exam System Changes
ExaminationReforms – The Congress on Thursday criticised the Union government’s decision to constitute a new high-level task force to review India’s examination framework, arguing that the latest initiative largely revisits recommendations made by an earlier expert panel without ensuring their implementation.
The remarks came from Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh, who described the Nandan Nilekani-led task force as an attempt to address public criticism rather than introduce meaningful reforms. In a post shared on X, he said the government had already received an extensive roadmap for improving the examination system but had failed to act on several key recommendations.
Earlier Expert Panel Revisited
Ramesh recalled that after the NEET-UG paper leak in 2024, the Centre had formed a High-Level Committee of Experts under the chairmanship of K. Radhakrishnan to examine shortcomings in the examination process and recommend corrective measures. The committee later submitted a detailed report outlining a wide range of reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, security, and administration of competitive examinations.
According to the Congress leader, the government has now established another panel headed by Nandan Nilekani following the latest controversy surrounding the NEET-UG examination. He questioned the need for a second committee when many recommendations from the earlier report remain unimplemented.
Similar Mandates Raise Questions
Referring to a newspaper analysis of the new task force’s terms of reference, Ramesh claimed that the majority of its assigned responsibilities closely mirror those already covered by the Radhakrishnan Committee. He said seven out of the nine listed mandates had been fully addressed in the previous report, while the remaining two had already been discussed in part.
Based on this comparison, he argued that the latest committee does not represent a substantially new approach but instead revisits issues that experts had already examined in detail.
Congress Highlights Pending Recommendations
The Congress leader further alleged that the government has not acted on 27 of the 101 recommendations submitted by the Radhakrishnan Committee. He maintained that several important reforms suggested after the 2024 examination controversy continue to remain pending despite repeated concerns over the integrity of entrance examinations.
Ramesh also pointed to the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA), stating that the organisation did not have a full-time Director General for nearly two years between the paper leak incidents reported in 2024 and 2026. According to him, this reflected a lack of urgency in strengthening the examination system.
Political Intent Questioned
While acknowledging the formation of the Nilekani-led task force, Ramesh alleged that the Centre had not demonstrated sufficient political commitment to implementing the recommendations already available. He argued that announcing another committee without fully executing earlier reforms raises concerns about the government’s priorities.
Describing the latest initiative as a response to mounting criticism, the Congress leader said the exercise appeared aimed at managing the political fallout from repeated examination controversies rather than delivering structural changes. The Centre has yet to issue a detailed response to these specific allegations.