National Testing begins large-scale reorganization and seeks experts for four leadership positions

The National Testing Agency (NTA), which is responsible for conducting national qualification and entrance examinations, has commenced a large-scale recruitment campaign as part of its institutional restructuring. This autonomous organization, under the Ministry of Education, has released job openings for four General Manager positions.

Recruitment of Young Specialists through UPSC

Additionally, applications from 16 young specialists were sought through the Union Public Service Commission's (UPSC) Pratibha Setu portal. This process is considered the first significant step in implementing the recommendations of the High-Level Expert Committee, which was formed following questions and disputes regarding the conduct of national entrance examinations.

Terms of Employment for General Managers

The four General Manager positions will initially be on a three-year contract. These roles include:

• General Manager (Assessment Research and Psychometrics): Will oversee the processes of question bank preparation, examination checking systems, normalization, equivalence, and calibration. They will also lead pilot projects related to Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) and AI-based assessment. A PhD in psychometrics, educational measurement, statistics, or a related discipline, along with at least 12 years of experience, is required for this role.
• General Manager (Test Center Network and Operations): This employee's responsibility will cover managing over 500 cities across the country and some international examination centers. Their competencies include center selection, capacity planning, quality control, ensuring conditions for candidates with disabilities, and organizing exam day.
• General Manager (Information Security): This post will function as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of NTA. Duties will include adhering to CERT-In directives, as well as working in cybersecurity, the 24/7 security operations center, and the Personal Data Protection Act.
• General Manager (Supervision, Investigation, and Forensics): This employee will be responsible for investigating examination malpractice, developing digital forensic expertise, and coordinating actions with agencies such as CBI, IB, ED, state police, and cybercrime units. This position requires 15 years of experience in investigation, supervision, or law enforcement.

Hiring of Young Specialists

NTA has decided for the first time to hire 16 young specialists through the UPSC's Pratibha Setu portal. Applications are open only to candidates who have taken the civil service examination and whose data is available on the Pratibha Setu portal. Of these 16 positions, 12 are designated for academic research, 2 for legal research, and 2 for finance and accounting. The initial employment term will be 24 months, with the possibility of extension up to 36 months depending on performance.

Future Recruitment Developments

The agency stated that new vacancies will be announced in the coming weeks, and an expert panel will be formed for 10 functional areas proposed by the expert committee. Furthermore, a Request for Expression of Interest (EOI) has been issued to form a new pool of subject matter expert translators. The goal of all these measures is to strengthen the academic quality, operational process of examinations, technical security, and institutional transparency of NTA to enhance the reliability and impartiality of national examinations.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has taken significant steps towards major improvements in the education and examination system. According to sources from the Ministry of Education, NTA has dismissed 47 officials.

Measures and Investigations

Furthermore, legal and criminal actions will be taken against some employees. These measures are part of a large-scale campaign aimed at increasing accountability and conducting serious reforms within NTA. The Ministry stated that even more important steps related to improving the agency's operations will be taken in the near future.

Reasons for Reforms

Recently, NTA has often been the subject of disputes due to accusations of leaks of examination materials and violations related to test administration. Consequently, a process of deep changes in the agency's structure and methodology has begun. The Ministry of Education emphasized that this decision is an important step toward the complete reorganization of NTA, which will make the examination system more reliable, transparent, and accountable.

The Public School Mission highlighted that exams in several subjects have shown errors during the assessment process.

Criticism and Reactions

Teachers have accused the minister of trying to ignore or minimize the problem. In response, the Minister of Education assured that no student would be harmed and maintained the schedule for access to Higher Education.

Political Positions

The Socialist Party (PS) insisted on the need for a free review of the national exams. Furthermore, a vehicle called Chega pointed to an 'imprudence' on the part of the Minister of Education.