Government Forms Expert Task Force to Make Competitive Examinations More Secure and Transparent

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the formation of a high-powered task force to recommend major reforms aimed at making India’s public and competitive examinations more trustworthy, transparent and technologically secure. The six-member panel will be chaired by technology expert and Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani and will include former Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena. In a video message, the Prime Minister said the examination system must inspire confidence among students and families and should use technology to the greatest possible extent to reduce opportunities for manipulation, leakage and administrative failure. The task force is expected to examine the complete examination process, potentially covering candidate registration, question-paper preparation, printing and transportation, test-centre security, identity verification, digital infrastructure, evaluation, result processing and grievance handling. Its diverse membership brings together experience in digital public infrastructure, national security, space technology, cybersecurity, education administration and large-scale logistics, areas that are all relevant to organising examinations involving millions of candidates. The announcement follows widespread public concern over paper leaks, alleged irregularities and disruption affecting recruitment and entrance examinations, which can impose financial and emotional costs on students who may spend years preparing for a single opportunity. The government said steps would be taken as quickly as possible after the task force submits its recommendations, although the initial announcement did not provide a deadline for the report or publish detailed terms of reference. Technology could help through encrypted question-paper delivery, secure digital audit trails, biometric or other identity checks, real-time monitoring of examination centres and automated detection of suspicious patterns, but any system would also need strong privacy protections, independent oversight and reliable alternatives for regions with weak digital connectivity. The reform initiative is being pursued alongside the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 27. The proposed legislation seeks to strengthen the existing 2024 law through stricter punishment and faster handling of cases involving paper leaks and organised malpractice. The task force and the proposed legal amendment therefore address two different parts of the problem: the panel is intended to improve the design and administration of examinations, while the law focuses on investigating and punishing those accused of compromising them. Their eventual effectiveness will depend not only on new technology and tougher penalties but also on transparent procurement, accountable examination agencies, properly trained staff, timely communication with candidates and fair mechanisms for responding when irregularities are reported.