Lok Sabha Question No. 16 (STARRED), answered on 2024-07-22
Subject: Cases registered against Leakage of NEET UG Paper
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri N K Premachandran

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *16 ANSWERED ON 22.07.2024

## Cases registered against Leakage of NEET UG Paper

- *16. SHRI N K PREMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a)  whether the Government proposes to establish effective mechanism for ensuring confidentiality of various examinations conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA); (b) if so, the details thereof; (c) the  number  of  cases  registered  against  the  leakage  of  NEET  UG  question  paper  and  the action taken by the Government thereon; and (d) the details regarding the allegation against the loss of confidentiality of examination conducted

- by NTA for the last five years and the action taken thereon?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the table of the House.

- *****

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) IN RESPECT OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *16 FOR REPLY ON 22.07.2024 REGARDING 'CASES REGISTERED AGAINST  LEAKAGE  OF  NEET  UG  PAPER' ASKED  BY SHRI N K PREMACHANDRAN, HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

(a) to (d):

-  National  Testing  Agency  (NTA)  was  established  in  2018  as  a  specialised  body  to  conduct examinations for entrance to Higher Education Institutions. Since its inception, NTA has conducted over  240  examinations  involving  more  than  5.4  crore  students.  In  order  to  suggest  effective measures  for  conducting  transparent,  smooth  and  fair  conduct  of  examinations  by  NTA,  the Ministry of Education has constituted a High-Level Committee of Experts on 22.06.2024 for making recommendations  on  Reforms  in  mechanism  of  examination  process,  Improvement  in  Data Security  protocols  and  Structure  and  functioning  of  National  Testing  Agency.  The  Committee comprises of the following experts:
-  The  Committee  has  also  co-opted  two  more  members  i.e.,  Prof.  Amey  Karkare,  Professor  of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Kanpur and Dr. Debapriya Roy, Assistant Professor, IIT Kanpur. The Terms of Reference of the Committee is attached as Annexure .
-  In  the  NEET(UG)  2024  Examination,  in  only  one  case,  a  First  Information  Report  (FIR)  was lodged in Shastrinagar Police Station in Patna on 5th May, 2024 alleging a leak of Question Paper. For  a  comprehensive  investigation  in  this  matter,  the  Ministry  of  Education  entrusted  it  to  the Central Bureau of Investigation by formally lodging a complaint on 22.6.24. Accordingly, an FIR in this matter has been registered by CBI on 23.6.24.
-  Further,  as  a  deterrence  to  unfair  means  in  public  examinations,  the  Central  Government  has enacted the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024. This Act has come into force w.e.f. 21st June, 2024 and Rules have also been notified thereunder on 23rd June, 2024.

|   1 | Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, Former Chairman, ISRO and Chairman BoG, IIT Kanpur.            | Chairman         |
|-----|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------|
|   2 | Dr. Randeep Guleria, Former Director, AIIMS Delhi.                                   | Member           |
|   3 | Prof. B J Rao, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Hyderabad.                     | Member           |
|   4 | Prof. Ramamurthy K, Professor Emeritus, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras. | Member           |
|   5 | Shri Pankaj Bansal, Co-Founder, People Strong and Board Member- Karmayogi Bharat.    | Member           |
|   6 | Prof. Aditya Mittal, Dean Student Affairs, IIT Delhi                                 | Member           |
|   7 | Shri Govind Jaiswal , Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India         | Member Secretary |

*****

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO PART (A)  to  (D)  OF  THE  REPLY  OF  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. *16 ANSWERED ON 22.07.2024 ASKED BY SHRI N K PREMACHANDRAN, HON'BLE  MEMBER  OF  PARLIAMENT  REGARDING  'CASES  REGISTERED  AGAINST LEAKAGE OF NEET UG PAPER'

## Terms of Reference of the High Level Committee of Experts

## (i) Reform in mechanism of examination process

- (a) To  analyse  the  end-to-end  examination  process  and  suggest  measures  to  improve efficiency of the system and to forestall any possible breach.
- (b) To conduct a thorough review of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)/Protocols of  the  NTA,  and  suggest  measures  to  strengthen  these  procedures/protocols  along  with monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance at every level.

## (ii) Improvement in Data Security protocols

- (a) To evaluate the existing data security processes and protocols of NTA and recommend measures for its improvement.
- (b) To examine existing security protocols related to the paper-setting and other processes for different examinations and make recommendations to enhance robustness of system.

## (iii) Structure & Functioning of National Testing Agency

- (a) To  make  recommendations  on  the  organizational  structure  and  functioning  of  the National Testing Agency (NTA) for implementation of recommendations given under point 3(i)  and  3(ii)  and  clearly  defining  the  roles  and  responsibilities  of  functionaries  at  every level.
- (b) Assess  the  current  Grievance  Redressal  Mechanism  of  the  NTA,  identify  areas  of improvement and make recommendations for enhancing its efficiency.