Repeated controversies around national entrance examinations have eroded public trust. Suggest institutional reforms to restore credibility.

From the NEET-UG 2024 irregularities to the paper leak that forced a NEET-UG 2026 re-examination [1], national entrance tests keep faltering. The July 2026 student protests at Jantar Mantar [2] showed how deep the loss of trust runs. Because the failures are institutional rather than one-off, the fix must be institutional too.

Why trust has eroded

• Weak capacity: The Radhakrishnan Committee (2024) [8] made 101 recommendations to overhaul the NTA. In 2026 the Supreme Court demanded an affidavit on implementation, including senior officers and in-house expertise [3].
• Single-point failure: A one-day test for lakhs of candidates means a single leak affects everyone.

Institutional reforms

Structural

• Statutory footing: Make the NTA accountable to Parliament, as examined in the 382nd Parliamentary Standing Committee report on strengthening the NTA [4].
• Permanent professional cadre: Replace ad hoc and outsourced staff with deputed senior officers. Set up a permanent committee for sealing question papers [3].
• Independent oversight: A high-powered monitoring body should publish periodic compliance reports on implementing the 101 recommendations.

Process and technology

• Secure supply chain: Extend sealed transport and CCTV and CISF monitoring [3] to every centre, with end-to-end digital tracking of papers.
• Lower-risk formats: Shift in phases to computer-based tests at government-controlled centres, and use multiple shifts or stages to remove single-point failure.
• Biometric verification of candidates to stop impersonation.

Legal deterrence

• Enforce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. It has been in force since June 2024 [5] and covers the NTA [6]. Add fast-track trials and blacklisting of errant service providers.

Student-centric accountability

• Grievance redressal: Set time-bound grievance handling with an independent appellate tier. Publish answer keys and the normalisation method.
• Stakeholder voice: Make consultation routine. The expert panel's consultations with students and parents [7] are a model.

Restoring credibility needs a professional, statutory NTA, secure technology, firm deterrence and transparent grievance handling. Implementing these steps in time-bound phases under the Supreme Court's watch would make entrance tests truly fair. That would uphold equality of opportunity under Article 14 and SDG 4's goal of equal access to higher education.