UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — NTA removes 600 experts; four-tier paper checking system to be put in place

Question 1

At the time of its creation, the National Testing Agency was sanctioned a one-time grant from the Government of India to meet the cost of its operations in the first year, after which it was to become financially self-sustaining. What was the amount of this one-time grant?

Accepted Answer

Rs. 25 crore, released by the Government of India as a one-time grant

Answer

Rs. 10 crore, released through the Department of School Education and Literacy

Answer

Rs. 50 crore, released as recurring annual budgetary support

Answer

Rs. 100 crore, released as corpus funding by the University Grants Commission

Question 2

With reference to the institutional character of the National Testing Agency (NTA), consider the following:
1. It is registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
2. It functions under the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education.
3. The first examination conducted by it was the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).
4. It was designed to be financially self-sustaining after an initial grant from the Government of India.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 4

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 4 only

Question 3

In the overhaul of the National Testing Agency announced in August 2026, which one of the following was the single largest personnel action taken by the agency?

Accepted Answer

Removal of about 600 subject experts from its examination team

Answer

Removal of more than 50 members of its administrative staff

Answer

Induction of 20-25 officials over the following two to three weeks

Answer

Advertisement of 10 senior leadership posts, including CTO and CISO

Question 4

The four-tier question-paper checking system and the accompanying security overhaul announced in August 2026 are being operationalised by the National Testing Agency under the administrative direction of which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, to which NTA reports and which sought the reform report

Answer

The Department of School Education and Literacy, which alone approves all national entrance examination protocols

Answer

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, which exclusively regulates all national testing standards

Answer

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, which is solely responsible for all computer-based public examinations

Question 5

With reference to the examination lapses that triggered the 2026 overhaul of the National Testing Agency, consider the following:
1. A re-examination was ordered in UGC-NET 2026 in Sociology, Commerce and English following complaints of question-paper errors.
2. NEET-UG 2026 was cancelled and a re-test announced after a suspected question-paper leak.
3. The Central Bureau of Investigation alleged that NTA subject experts in Botany, Chemistry and Physics were part of the leak conspiracy.
4. The cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 affected about 2.2 lakh candidates.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1 and 4 only

Answer

2, 3 and 4

Answer

1, 3 and 4

Question 6

Consider the following statements comparing the 2026 examination lapses of the National Testing Agency with the earlier lapses of 2024:
1. Whereas the 2024 controversy centred on NEET-UG, the 2026 lapses affected both NEET-UG and UGC-NET.
2. Unlike the leak that vitiated NEET-UG, the 2026 action on UGC-NET papers arose from errors in the question papers rather than from a breach of confidentiality.
3. Whereas the earlier NEET-UG case was investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation, the NEET-UG 2026 case was left entirely to the State police.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 7

The force deployed to secure the new premises of the National Testing Agency as part of the 2026 security overhaul functions under the administrative control of which one of the following ministries?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Home Affairs, which administers the Central Armed Police Forces of the Union

Answer

Ministry of Defence, which administers the armed forces and their allied security establishments

Answer

Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, which administers security at major ports and installations

Answer

Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which oversees the security of industrial undertakings and estates

Question 8

The Central Industrial Security Force was constituted under which legislation, and in which year did the force actually come into existence?

Accepted Answer

The CISF Act, 1968; the force came into existence in 1969

Answer

The CISF Act, 1969; the force came into existence in 1969

Answer

The CISF Act, 1968; the force came into existence in 1968

Answer

The Police Act, 1861; the force came into existence in 1969

Question 9

The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) and the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) were entrusted to the National Testing Agency by which one of the following bodies?

Accepted Answer

The All India Council for Technical Education, which entrusted these tests to NTA

Answer

The University Grants Commission, which alone entrusts every national-level entrance test to NTA

Answer

The Central Board of Secondary Education, which continues to own all professional entrance examinations

Answer

The National Medical Commission, which is exclusively responsible for all postgraduate entrance testing

Question 10

Consider the following pairs of examinations conducted by the National Testing Agency and their purpose or entrusting authority:
1. CMAT — entrusted to NTA by the University Grants Commission
2. UGC-NET — determination of eligibility for assistant professorship and Junior Research Fellowship
3. GPAT — admission to postgraduate programmes in pharmacy
4. NEET-UG — admission to undergraduate medical courses
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

Accepted Answer

2, 3 and 4

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1 and 4 only

Answer

1, 3 and 4

Question 11

The High-Level Committee of Experts constituted by the Ministry of Education on examination reform, whose recommendations underpin the ongoing restructuring of the National Testing Agency, was headed by whom?

Accepted Answer

Dr K. Radhakrishnan, former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation

Answer

Dr K. Kasturirangan, former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation

Answer

Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of the University Grants Commission

Answer

Dr K. VijayRaghavan, former Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India

Question 12

Among the compliance mandates issued to the National Testing Agency in August 2026 was a complete overhaul of its 'CONOPS' architecture. In this context, CONOPS refers to which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

The confidential operations architecture for handling question papers, comprising secluded rooms, air-gapped systems and device-deposit protocols

Answer

The concept of operations manual prescribing the sequence of duties of invigilators and centre superintendents on the day of the examination

Answer

The consolidated online platform through which candidates register, pay examination fees and download their admit cards for all NTA tests

Answer

The continuous operations command network linking NTA control rooms with district administrations for maintaining law and order at centres

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — NTA removes 600 experts; four-tier paper checking system to be put in place

Q1. At the time of its creation, the National Testing Agency was sanctioned a one-time grant from the Government of India to meet the cost of its operations in the first year, after which it was to become financially self-sustaining. What was the amount of this one-time grant?

Q3. In the overhaul of the National Testing Agency announced in August 2026, which one of the following was the single largest personnel action taken by the agency?

Q4. The four-tier question-paper checking system and the accompanying security overhaul announced in August 2026 are being operationalised by the National Testing Agency under the administrative direction of which one of the following?

Q7. The force deployed to secure the new premises of the National Testing Agency as part of the 2026 security overhaul functions under the administrative control of which one of the following ministries?

Q8. The Central Industrial Security Force was constituted under which legislation, and in which year did the force actually come into existence?

Q9. The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) and the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) were entrusted to the National Testing Agency by which one of the following bodies?

Q11. The High-Level Committee of Experts constituted by the Ministry of Education on examination reform, whose recommendations underpin the ongoing restructuring of the National Testing Agency, was headed by whom?

Q12. Among the compliance mandates issued to the National Testing Agency in August 2026 was a complete overhaul of its 'CONOPS' architecture. In this context, CONOPS refers to which one of the following?