Public exam reforms: Nandan Nilekani-led task force seeks suggestions on security, technology, assessment

The Nandan Nilekani-headed High-Powered Task Force (HPTF) for reforms related to public examinations has invited suggestions from stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers and civil society organisations, till September 13, an official said on Friday.

Apart from technology expert Nilekani, the government named former ISRO Chairman S. Somnath, former IB Director Tapan Deka, IIT Chennai Director V. Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal and Logistics Expert Amrit Lal Meena as members of the HPTF.

The Nilekani-headed task force has sought public suggestions on issues including conduct and security of public examinations; examination design and assessment methodology; governance, accountability and institutional arrangements; and prevention, detection and redressal of examination malpractices;

The task force is also welcoming suggestions on issues like use of technology, including secure Computer-Based Testing; creation and augmentation of examination infrastructure and inclusive examination framework for better access across social, economic, regional and linguistic groups.

The task force is examining measures for strengthening institutional systems and processes, ensuring examination integrity and security, deploying appropriate technologies, augmenting examination infrastructure, promoting accessibility and inclusion, and safeguarding student well-being.

The objective is to develop a robust, secure, transparent, equitable and future-ready public examination system.

The decision to rope in Nilekani, who is the brain behind the Aadhaar number, came a day after a students' agitation against alleged paper leaks concluded following the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan last month.

In another development, the National Testing Agency (NTA) earlier this week appointed two new directors and a joint director to the key examination agency.

According to official orders, Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Prasanna Venkatesh V and IPS officer Ravi Kumar Singh have been appointed as directors in the NTA.

An office order said Venkatesh, a 2012 batch IAS officer, has been posted in the NTA under the Central Staffing Scheme for a period of five years.

Ravi Kumar Singh, a 2012 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer recommended for Central deputation by the Union Home Ministry, has also been appointed as director in NTA, said an official memorandum issued on Thursday.

Ravi Kumar Singh served as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Economic Offences Wing, Delhi Police.

The Department of Personnel and Training said that Amit Samdariya, a 2016 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, will serve as joint director (deputy secretary level) in the NTA for a period of four years.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by Education Post)