The Central Government has announced the formation of a high-powered task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to recommend major reforms in India's National Testing Agency (NTA) examination system. The initiative aims to make competitive examinations more secure, transparent and resistant to paper leaks through greater use of technology.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision on July 26, stating that the panel will help restore public confidence in the examination process by recommending immediate and long-term reforms.

Who Are the Members of the Task Force?

The six-member committee brings together experts from technology, education, intelligence, space research and public administration.

The members are:

• Nandan Nilekani – Infosys co-founder and former Chairman of UIDAI (Committee Chairperson)
• Dr. S. Somanath –  Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
• Tapan Deka – Former Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB)
• Prof. V. Kamakoti – Director of IIT Madras
• Anita Karwal –  Education Secretary, Government of India
• Amrit Lal Meena – Expert in logistics and public administration

What Will the Task Force Do?

The committee has been assigned the responsibility of recommending comprehensive reforms to improve the country's examination system.

• Strengthening security for national-level examinations
• Preventing question paper leaks
• Increasing transparency in the examination process
• Promoting extensive use of digital and emerging technologies
• Developing a secure and future-ready testing framework
• Recommending immediate measures for upcoming examinations

The government has indicated that the panel's recommendations will be implemented to build greater trust among students and ensure fair examinations.

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Who Is Nandan Nilekani?

Nandan Nilekani is one of India's leading technology entrepreneurs and a co-founder of Infosys. He currently serves as the company's Non-Executive Chairman.

He co-founded Infosys in 1981 along with N.R. Narayana Murthy, Kris Gopalakrishnan, S.D. Shibulal, K. Dinesh, N.S. Raghavan and Ashok Arora.

Nilekani served as the Chief Executive Officer of Infosys between 2002 and 2007 before returning to the company as Non-Executive Chairman in 2017.

In 2009, he became the founding Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), where he led the implementation of the Aadhaar project. He also contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Bengaluru South but was defeated.

Focus on Technology-Driven Examination Reforms

The newly constituted panel is expected to explore advanced technological solutions that can strengthen examination security and improve administrative efficiency.

Officials believe that increased use of digital infrastructure, secure testing systems, data analytics and modern monitoring tools can significantly reduce the risk of paper leaks and examination malpractice while making the overall assessment process more reliable.

The committee is expected to submit recommendations covering both immediate safeguards and long-term structural reforms aimed at creating a transparent, secure and technology-enabled examination system across India.