Nandan Nilekani to lead India's high-powered exam reform task force

Nandan Nilekani to lead India's high-powered exam reform task force

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday, July 27, 2026, the creation of a high-powered task force to recommend comprehensive reforms for India's examination system. The panel, led by Infosys co-founder and Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani, is tasked with proposing structural and technology-driven changes to the National Testing Agency (NTA) to increase the security, credibility, and transparency of national entrance exams.

The move follows nationwide protests and scrutiny triggered by an alleged paper leak in the NEET-UG 2026 examination. The unrest, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and Abhijeet Dipke, resulted in the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday. This is the first time in three terms of the NDA government that sustained street protests have led to a Union minister's resignation.

The Expert Panel

The six-member multidisciplinary task force combines expertise from space, intelligence, academia, and public administration to address flaws in the current framework, including impersonation and paper leaks.

• Nandan Nilekani: The chair and technology entrepreneur who led the rollout of Aadhaar.
• S. Somnath: Former ISRO Chairman with expertise in systems engineering and mission planning.
• Tapan Deka: Former Intelligence Bureau Director experienced in identifying organized criminal networks.
• V. Kamakoti: Director of IIT Madras, specializing in cybersecurity and computer science.
• Anita Karwal: Former Education Secretary and 1988-batch IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre.
• Amrit Lal Meena: Senior IAS officer and former Chief Secretary of Bihar, specializing in large-scale logistics.

The panel will review NTA functions and recommend improvements for candidate verification, question paper security, and examination logistics. Prime Minister Modi stated that the government will initiate steps based on the task force's report to ensure the credibility of future examinations.

Legal and Judicial Crackdown

Alongside the task force, the government is implementing immediate punitive measures. In a video message, Prime Minister Modi asserted that those who tampered with the students' future are languishing in jail and noted that fast-track courts have already been established for speedy justice in fraud cases.

The government is also introducing the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in Parliament on Monday. This legislation seeks to tighten the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, with the following proposed changes:

The bill further mandates that investigations be completed within two months, with trials in Special Fast Track Courts concluded within three months of the chargesheet filing. It also proposes a dedicated appellate mechanism in High Courts.

Political Fallout and Administration

Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has assumed additional charge of the Ministry of Education. Joshi stated he has begun reviewing the ministry's functioning and meeting senior officials to understand the department's operations.

The government's actions come amid intense pressure from Opposition MPs. In the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, members of the DMK, Congress, and CPI have moved notices to discuss police action against protesting students. DMK MP T.R. Baalu sought a discussion on an immediate ban on NEET, while Congress MP Vijayakumar alias Vijay Vasanth called for an inquiry into the alleged use of excessive force during protests in Delhi on July 20.

CPI MP P. Sandosh Kumar has called for the constitution of an independent judicial commission to investigate the "brutal police action" and what he described as the "total failure" of the examination system. Additionally, DMK Rajya Sabha MP Tiruchi Siva submitted a notice regarding student suicides linked to NEET and called for the test's abolition.