NTA eyes BRICS expansion; NEET to move to computer-based testing soon

New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) is exploring the possibility of making its examination framework available to other countries, including BRICS nations, once it strengthens its systems and processes in India, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said.

Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Singh said the agency's immediate focus was to improve its domestic examination infrastructure and ensure tests are conducted fairly, securely and without errors.

“Right now we are trying to consolidate our own testing framework,” Singh said. The long-term vision, he added, was to develop a system that could function as a scalable “digital public good” and be adopted by other countries, including those in the BRICS grouping.

The NTA is also turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and biometric technology to strengthen examination security and prevent malpractice. Singh said AI was being explored for analysing examination logs, data and other information to identify irregularities and improve the testing process.

On candidate verification, Singh said Aadhaar-based and facial authentication systems had helped address concerns over impersonation.

“We have Aadhaar based and face authentication method, which you use to verify there,” he said, adding that the facial authentication framework was being used in almost every examination conducted by the agency.

NTA plans to make CBT the norm

The NTA is also moving towards Computer-Based Testing (CBT) as the standard format for its examinations. JEE, UGC NET, CUET and NIFT are among the major examinations already conducted through CBT.

NEET remains the major exception, with the undergraduate medical entrance examination currently conducted in pen-and-paper mode. Singh said NEET would also move to CBT “very soon”, with the transition requiring additional testing infrastructure and safeguards.

“Our examinations are CBT except the NEET examination. And NEET will also be moving to CBT very soon,” he said.

Singh said the agency's broader goal was to move all its examinations to computer-based testing in the coming years.

Cross-border exams next on NTA's roadmap

While the NTA is looking at international expansion, Singh stressed that the agency's domestic systems would have to be strengthened first.

“Cross-border examinations are again the next step,” he said, adding that the NTA first wanted to ensure Indian examinations were conducted fairly and transparently, without malpractice or errors.

Once its domestic framework is consolidated, the agency plans to explore conducting examinations for international organisations and sharing its technology with other countries.

Singh also pointed to examination systems in other countries as potential areas for collaboration. Referring to China's Gaokao, he said countries could exchange knowledge on areas such as question paper generation and examination security.

“There are multiple ways; there are multiple ways every country faces this challenge,” Singh said, noting that examination-related practices could be discussed and shared internationally.

The comments came during India's hosting of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. China will host the next BRICS summit in 2027.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his best wishes to China for its upcoming chairship, saying the world now expects “concrete results” from BRICS as the grouping enters its third decade.