Expert group led by Nilakani created to reform the state examination system

Expert Panel Composition

The commission brings together specialists from the fields of technology, academia, national security, and education. Nindan Mohanrao Nilakani, 71, is a co-founder and chairman of Infosys. He holds a bachelor's degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, born in Bengaluru. Nilakani headed the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) from 2009 to 2014, where the Aadhaar project was launched. He also played a key role in the creation of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), contributing to the formation of India's digital infrastructure through interoperable payments.

Furthermore, Nilakani chaired the Technical Advisory Group on Unique Projects (TAGUP), a high-level committee established by the Union government in 2010 to formulate recommendations on efficient IT systems for large financial infrastructure projects, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He will lead the panel and oversee its technology-based recommendations.

Commission Members

The commission includes other prominent specialists. Somnath, 62, former chairman of ISRO (2022 to 2025), who oversaw the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 near the Moon's south pole. This space scientist with nearly 40 years of experience contributed to the development of the LVM3 launch vehicle, which carried both Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3. Somnath hails from Alappuzha in Kerala state and holds BTech in Mechanical Engineering and MTech in Aerospace Engineering from IISc, Bengaluru, as well as a doctorate from IIT Madras. He will bring knowledge of large-scale technological systems to the examination panel.

Amrit Lal Miena, 65, is a retired IAS officer from Bihar, a 1989 graduate. With over 36 years of administrative experience, including 25 years in the Bihar government and 11 years in the central government, he served as the Chief Secretary of Bihar from August 2024 to August 2025. He also worked as a secretary in the Ministry of Coal and served as Special Secretary (Logistics) in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Miena will serve as the logistics expert on the examination reform task force.

Anita Karwal, a retired IAS officer from Gujarat, a 1988 graduate, previously served as the Secretary of Education for India from 2020 until her retirement in 2022. Before that, she was the Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) from 2017 to 2020. With over 36 years of experience in public administration, especially in school education, she participated in formulating the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum. After retiring, she became the Chairperson of the Gujarat Real Estate Regulatory Authority (GujRERA). Karwal will provide her expertise in educational policy to the education reform panel.

The group includes V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras since 2022, known for leading the research group that developed India's first indigenous microprocessor, Shakti. He is a member of the National Security Advisory Council and heads the AI Task Force established by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Kamakoti specializes in artificial intelligence, computer architecture, and cybersecurity. Born in Chennai in 1968, he received a BE in Computer Science and Engineering and subsequently completed MS (Research) and PhD at IIT Madras. He will provide academic and technical contributions to the education reform task force.

Tapan Kumar Deka, 63, a retired IPS officer from Himachal Pradesh, a 1988 graduate, served as the Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) from June 2022 to June 2026. Deka played a key role in counter-terrorism operations, including investigating the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, combating the Indian Mujahideen, and conducting security operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast. He also spent over ten years in the IB's operational wing, overseeing counter-terrorism efforts against the Indian Mujahideen and the Islamic State. Deka, born in Sartebari, Barpeta district of Assam in 1963, obtained an M.Sc. in Physics from Delhi University before joining the Indian Police in 1988. In the new task force, Deka will work on strengthening the security system.