Lok Sabha Question No. 1143 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-26
Subject: National Testing Agency
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Rebati Tripura, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Anurag Sharma, Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Dhanush M Kumar, Ganesan Selvam, C.N. Annadurai, Gautham Sigamani Pon

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1143

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2021

## National Testing Agency

## 1143. SHRI REBATI TRIPURA:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI ANURAG SHARMA:

SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT:

SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

SHRI SELVAM G.:

SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMANI PON:

Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  achieved  the  aims  and  objectives  of establishing National Testing Agency (NTA) and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  number of  exams  conducted  by  NTA  using  computer-based  system since its existence to till date;
- (c) whether  NTA  has  established  Test  Practice  Centres  in  educational institutions across the country to serve the requirement of rural students,  if so,  details  thereof,  State-wise  including  North  Eastern Region;
- (d) whether  NTA  has  also  launched  a  'mobile  app'  and  if  so,  the  details thereof  along  with  the  other  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  NTA  to conduct the examinations in a transparent and efficient manner; and
- (e) whether  NTA  is  charging  exorbitant  amount  as  fee  from  candidates  to appear  in  various  examinations  conducted  by  NTA  and  if  so,  details thereof and corrective steps taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF EDUCATION

## (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a)  &  (b):  The  National  Testing  Agency  (NTA)  has  been  established  by  the Government in 2018 as a premier, specialized, autonomous and self-sustained

testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for admission/fellowship in higher educational institutions. NTA has successfully conducted 72 examinations (Computer and Internet based - 68, Pen & Paper based-04) since December  2018,  which  include:  NEET  (UG),  JEE  (Main),  UGC-NET,  JNUEE, DUET, ICAR-AIEE, IGNOU, CSIR-NET & AISSEE, etc. (c):  NTA  has  created  a  network  of  Test  Practice  Centres  (TPCs),  for  the candidates, especially in remote and rural areas to enable them to practice the previous  years  question  papers  through  Mock  Tests  and  be  comfortable  in taking  a  Computer  Based  Test  (CBT).  This  facility  is  completely  free  of  cost. Candidates  can  register  online  (on  NTA  website)  where  they  are  provided  a convenient TPC nearer to their location, to practice on a given computer node. A  list  of  TPCs  (State-wise)  is  attached  as Annexure .  The  TPCs  are  not functioning now due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the opening of TPCs is subject to the improvement of COVID-19 situation. (d): NTA has launched a mobile app called ' National Test Abhyas ' to  enable candidates to take mock tests for JEE (Main) and NEET (UG). Students across the country can use this App to access high quality test practice, free of cost for preparation of the upcoming JEE (Main) and NEET (UG) Exams. To ensure test  security  and  curb  malpractices  due  to  technological  advancement,  NTA has adopted various measures, which includes CCTV surveillance, installation of network jammers / signal silencers at Exam Centres, Orientation programme for test developers/ subject experts and exam functionaries. (e):  As  NTA  is  a  self-sustained  organization,  the  fees  charged  from  the candidates are kept at the minimum for meeting the input costs and administrative costs only.

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ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  PART  (c)  OF  THE  REPLY  TO  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1143 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2021 ASKED BY SHRI  REBATI  TRIPURA:  SHRI  GAJANAN  KIRTIKAR:  SHRI  ANURAG  SHARMA: SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT: SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR: SHRI SELVAM G: SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI: SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMANI PON:, HON'BLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, REGARDING ' N ATIONAL TESTING AGENCY'

|                                | Type of the Institution / School   | Type of the Institution / School   | Type of the Institution / School   |       |
|--------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|-------|
| State                          | College                            | Other Gov. Institution             | School                             | Total |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands / UT | -                                  | -                                  | 8                                  | 8     |
| Andhra Pradesh                 | 137                                | 9                                  | 44                                 | 190   |
| Arunachal Pradesh              | 1                                  | 1                                  | 23                                 | 25    |
| Assam                          | 18                                 | 5                                  | 84                                 | 107   |
| Bihar                          | 46                                 | 46                                 | 118                                | 210   |
| Chandigarh / UT                | 3                                  | 5                                  | 23                                 | 31    |
| Chhattisgarh                   | 29                                 | 4                                  | 72                                 | 105   |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli / UT      | -                                  | 1                                  | -                                  | 1     |
| Delhi / UT                     | 22                                 | 20                                 | 135                                | 177   |
| Goa                            | 4                                  | -                                  | 10                                 | 14    |
| Gujarat                        | 58                                 | 7                                  | 118                                | 183   |
| Haryana                        | 49                                 | 30                                 | 122                                | 201   |
| Himachal Pradesh               | 17                                 | 10                                 | 47                                 | 74    |
| Jammu & Kashmir                | 22                                 | 22                                 | 57                                 | 101   |
| Jharkhand                      | 33                                 | 10                                 | 73                                 | 116   |
| Karnataka                      | 123                                | 10                                 | 113                                | 246   |
| Kerala                         | 88                                 | 6                                  | 454                                | 548   |
| Madhya Pradesh                 | 114                                | 9                                  | 206                                | 329   |
| Maharashtra                    | 336                                | 114                                | 164                                | 614   |
| Manipur                        | 3                                  | 1                                  | 23                                 | 27    |
| Meghalaya                      | -                                  | -                                  | 15                                 | 15    |
| Mizoram                        | -                                  | -                                  | 10                                 | 10    |
| Nagaland                       | 1                                  | 2                                  | 8                                  | 11    |
| Orissa                         | 36                                 | 10                                 | 95                                 | 141   |
| Puducherry / UT                | 5                                  | 2                                  | 15                                 | 22    |
| Punjab                         | 68                                 | 4                                  | 123                                | 195   |
| Rajasthan                      | 113                                | 12                                 | 184                                | 309   |
| Sikkim                         | -                                  | -                                  | 8                                  | 8     |
| Tamil Nadu                     | 195                                | 25                                 | 171                                | 391   |
| Telangana                      | 66                                 | 4                                  | 63                                 | 133   |
| Tripura                        | 8                                  | 1                                  | 12                                 | 21    |
| Uttar Pradesh                  | 200                                | 64                                 | 398                                | 662   |
| Uttarakhand                    | 25                                 | 8                                  | 73                                 | 106   |
| West Bengal                    | 51                                 | 9                                  | 113                                | 173   |
| Total                          | 1871                               | 451                                | 3182                               | 5504  |