National Testing Agency

National Testing Agency (NTA) is an Indian government agency that has been approved by the Union Council of Ministers and established in November 2017 to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions.[1][2] The government appointed Vineet Joshi as the first Director-General of the agency. NTA is responsible for conducting the Joint Entrance Examination – Main (JEE Main), National Eligibility cum Entrance Test -Undergraduate (NEET UG), National Eligibility Test (NET), Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) and Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT).

National Testing Agency
AbbreviationNTA
MottoExcellence in Assessment
EstablishedNovember 2017 (2017-11)
Legal statusOperational
PurposeTo conduct various entrance examinations nationwide
Websitenta.ac.in

History

The roots of the agency can be traced to the Programme of Action 1992, related to National Policy of Education 1986, which mentioned conducting national level common entrance tests to professional and non-professional programmes of study.[3] Its actual start was in 2010 with a report submitted to the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) by a committee consisting of some of the directors of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), which recommended that the national testing agency be "created by an Act of Parliament". The report mentioned that a statutory agency can ensure independence and transparency in testing of the magnitude that is being envisaged.[4] In 2013 the MHRD constituted a seven member task force to "prepare a blue print for creating a special purpose vehicle to take the concept of National Testing Agency (NTA) forward". This was following a decision made in April 2013 to set up the agency. In 2017 an announcement about NTA was made by the Finance Minister in the budget speech of 2017, and this was followed by cabinet approval.[5]

On 7 July 2018, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar stated during a press conference that the NTA will be holding the Joint Entrance Examination – Main (JEE Main) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET UG) twice a year, and will also be holding National Eligibility Test (NET), Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) and Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT).[6]

Finance

Union cabinet has granted an initial amount of ₹25 crore (equivalent to ₹28 crore or US$4.0 million in 2019) to NTA[7] to start its operations in the first year.

Members and their nature

The administration of the NTA has been entrusted to the Governing Body.[8]

Examinations conducted by NTA

NTA conducts the following examinations.

Controversies and credibility of NTA

2020 JEE Main Assam topper scam

In 2020 Neel Nakshatra Das, a candidate for JEE Mains used a substitute to give the exam. He subsequently scored 99.8 per cent and topped in his state, Assam.[9][10] Seven persons have been arrested including Bhargav Deka, owner of a city-based coaching institute Global Edu Light, Tata Consultancy Services employees,[11] the candidate (Neel Nakshatra Das), Neel's father - Dr. Jyotirmoy Das, and an invigilator.[12][13][14]

In NEET (UG) 2020 exam, NTA incorrectly declared that Vidhi Suryavanshi of Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district had only scored 6 marks which were later found out to be false after Vidhi committed suicide.[15][16] Vidhi's response sheet proved that she had actually scored 590 marks.[17]

In NEET (UG) 2020 exam, NTA had allegedly declared Mridul Rawat as failed.[18][19] Rawat claimed that he challenged the NTA and after rechecking his OMR sheet and Answer Key, it was found that he is an All India Topper (ST Category).[20] Rawat also claimed that even after the rechecking, in the revised scorecard, his score was 650 but only three hundred twenty-nine were written in words.[21] NTA refuted the claims of Mridul Rawat.[22] Director-General Vineet Joshi of NTA said “An aspirant has claimed that he has 650 marks whereas he has obtained 329 marks in NEET 2020 results. The emails purported to have been written by NTA are also fake. This news has been broadcast by some local news channels in some cities. This news is totally fake, fabricated, and one-sided and news channels should have confirmed from NTA prior to broadcasting it. In the instant case, a complaint is being filed by NTA with the cybersecurity cell under the IT Act at Noida, UP.”[23]

References
  1. "NTA: How one of world's biggest 'exam agencies' is making tests smarter, less stressful - Times of India". The Times of India.
  2. "Centre approves creation of National Testing Agency". The Hindu. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  3. "Programme on Action 1992" (PDF). Mhrd.gov.in. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-12-15. Retrieved 2018-11-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Cabinet approves creation of National Testing Agency". Currentaffairs.gktoday.in. 11 November 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  6. "JEE Main 2019 To Be Held Online, Twice By National Testing Agency (NTA): Check Complete Schedule Here". Ndtv.com. New Delhi Television. 8 July 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  7. "Centre approves creation of National Testing Agency". The Hindu. 10 November 2017.
  8. "Governing Body". Nta.ac.in. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  9. "Prime accused in JEE fraud case absconding in Assam". October 30, 2020 – via www.thehindu.com.
  10. "Prime accused in Assam JEE Main scam arrested - Times of India". The Times of India.
  11. Tata Consultancy Services provides infrastructural and human resources support to NTA for conducting the exams.
  12. "Prime Accused In Assam JEE (Main) Scam Arrested From Guwahati Airport". NDTV.com.
  13. "JEE scam: Assam Police launch manhunt to nab coaching centre owner, IT professional". DNA India. October 31, 2020.
  14. anand, manoj (October 30, 2020). "JEE topper used proxy to write paper, arrested". Deccan Chronicle.
  15. "MP teen hangs self after 6 marks in NEET; OMR sheet reveals actual score 590". The New Indian Express.
  16. "NEET Results 2020: 18-year-old Chhindwara student commits suicide after getting 6 marks; OMR sheet reveals actual score". DNA India. October 23, 2020.
  17. Desk, India com News (October 23, 2020). "18-Year-Old Dies by Suicide After Scoring 6 Marks in NEET Results, OMR Sheet Reveals She Scored 590". India News, Breaking News, Entertainment News | India.com.
  18. "NEET 2020: Low scorer turns to be topper in ST category, NTA comes to rescue". Hindustan Times. October 20, 2020.
  19. "Major blunder in NEET 2020 exam results revealed, All India topper declared as failed". Zee News. October 20, 2020.
  20. "Terrible mistake in NEET result! Low-score student topper in ST category, NTA releases second revised marksheet".
  21. "Major blunder! NTA declares NEET 2020 All India Topper as failed". DNA India. October 20, 2020.
  22. "NTA to file FIR for fake news claiming incorrect NEET result". The New Indian Express.
  23. "NTA refutes NEET aspirant's claim of AIR 1 Rank in ST category". Hindustan Times. October 20, 2020.
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