New Delhi: Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday held discussions with senior officials of the Education Ministry to review key priorities and initiatives aimed at strengthening the higher education ecosystem. The meeting focused on improving the quality of education, promoting institutional excellence and expanding opportunities for students.

In a post on X, Joshi said the discussions covered key priorities and initiatives related to improving the quality of education and strengthening higher education institutions while expanding opportunities for students.

The review comes as the Ministry of Education is undertaking major reforms in the examination system, particularly the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA). The agency has faced scrutiny following recent concerns surrounding national-level examinations, including UGC-NET and the earlier NEET-UG controversy.

NTA Examination System Undergoing Major Overhaul

As part of the reforms, the NTA has removed around 600 experts from its examination team and started onboarding new specialists. The agency will also introduce a four-tier question paper checking system to strengthen scrutiny before examination papers are finalised.

The new mechanism will introduce multiple levels of review during question-paper preparation and is aimed at identifying errors before examinations are conducted. The NTA is also expected to induct 20-25 officials over the next two to three weeks as part of efforts to strengthen its examination machinery.

Focus on Examination Security

The Education Ministry has also directed the NTA to strengthen security and infrastructure for the smooth conduct of examinations. NTA offices are set to be shifted to new premises, with security arrangements to be reinforced through the deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) teams.

Earlier, Joshi had directed the agency to conduct a comprehensive audit of its examination processes and overhaul its confidential operations. Measures discussed included secluded rooms for sensitive work, air-gapped computer systems and mandatory device-deposit protocols.

The latest higher education review and ongoing NTA reforms highlight the ministry's focus on improving the higher education ecosystem while strengthening the security, transparency and reliability of national-level examinations. The measures are aimed at strengthening safeguards and improving the conduct of examinations for students appearing in competitive and eligibility tests.