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Union Cabinet approves Creation of National Testing Agency (NTA)

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On November 10, 2017, Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared a proposal for creation of a National Testing Agency (NTA) which will conduct various entrance examinations.

Objectives for Creating National Testing Agency (NTA):

Currently, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducts Joint Engineering Entrance (JEE) Exam, National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), Central Teacher Eligibility Test (twice a year) UGC’s National Eligibility Test (twice a year) and the entrance test for Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas. These exams/tests are in addition to CBSE’s own board exams.

  • With the creation of National Testing Agency (NTA), CBSE and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) will be relieved from conducting the above stated exams/tests.
  • Besides, NTA will also bring in high reliability, standardized difficulty level for assessing the aptitude, intelligence and problem solving abilities of students.

Cabinet ApprovalsStructure of National Testing Agency (NTA):

  • An eminent educationist appointed by Union Human Resources Development Ministry will be the Chairperson of NTA.
  • The CEO of NTA will be the Director General, and will be appointed by the government. Director General will be assisted by nine verticals headed by academicians and experts.
  • NTA will also have a Board of Governors comprising members from user institutions.

More Information about National Testing Agency (NTA):

NTA will be an autonomous and self-sustained organization which will be responsible to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions.

  • It will be created as a society registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act, 1860.
  • Central Government will provide one-time grant of Rs 25 crore to fund NTA’s operations for the first year. Thereafter, NTA will operate as a financially self-sufficient entity.
  • Initially, NTA will conduct only those entrance examinations which are currently being conducted by the CBSE. Over a period of time, other entrance examinations too will be conducted by NTA.
  • In order to give adequate opportunity to candidates to bring out their best, NTA will conduct entrance examinations (in online mode), twice a year.
  • Keeping into consideration the requirements of rural student, centres of NTA will be located at district as well as sub-district level. Besides, NTA will also directly impart training to students.
  • It is expected that, NTA will benefit nearly 40 lakh students appearing in various entrance examinations across India.