NTA will establish a network of test practice centres for students of rural areas so that everyone will have an opportunity to practice before the exam: HRD Minister

The Minister of Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar has said that the National Testing Agency (NTA) has started its work and will be conducting various entrance examinations for higher educational Institutions from next academic sessions onwards.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi today, he said the NTA will bring qualitative difference in the examination process by its focus on research and scientific test design using services of Experts, Researchers, Statisticians, Psychometricians, Test Item Writers and Education Specialists. The item writers would be trained to ensure that the quality of questions is as per the test design. The experts, statisticians and item writers/subject matter experts are already identified for being inducted into NTA. The new system will be student friendly, fair, transparent and flexible, the Minister added.

The Minister highlighted that for the first time in the history of competitive examinations, the JEE (Main) and NEET (UG) will be conducted twice before admissions in the next academic session. This gives a choice to the students especially if they fail to appear in a test due to unwarranted circumstances. He also informed that the syllabus and the pattern of question paper would remain the same and there will be NO increase in the exam fees currently being charged.

He also informed that the examinations for all candidates will be conducted in computer based mode only (Starting from next exam UGC-NET exam). He further informed that these examinations will use highly secured IT software and encryption to ensure delivery of tests just in time. This will ensure no leakages and other malpractices.

National Testing Agency (NTA) was approved by the Union Cabinet in November 2017 as an Autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational Institutions.

Features of exams to be conducted by NTA:

NTA will give more chances to students thereby giving adequate opportunity to bring out his/her best and reducing stress which develops due to single exam conducted on one single day in the year. However, sitting in both the tests will not be compulsory. The two tests (each for JEE (Main) & NEET (UG)) will be equated using psychometric methods, standardisation techniques and best of the equated scores will be used for the admissions.

All the tests (UGC- NET (December), JEE (Main) & NEET (UG)) will be conducted in multiple sittings and a candidate will have an option of dates to choose from. Scores of different candidates in multiple sittings will also be equated using standardisation techniques.

NTA will establish a network of test practice centres for students of rural areas so that everyone will have an opportunity to practice before the exam. Schools/engineering colleges with computer centres would be identified and kept open on Saturday/Sunday starting from 3rd week of August. Any student can use the facility free of charge.

All tests would be set in a scientific manner with the test items developed jointly by the subject matter experts and psychometricians. Before developing the question papers, the item writers for the exams will be given feedback on the functioning of the previous years’ items so that they are able to make test items which are more valid and reliable. All the above mentioned examinations will be held in existing number of languages.