The Nandan Nilekani-headed High-Powered Task Force (HPTF) on public examination reforms has opened a public consultation window, inviting suggestions from students, parents, teachers, and civil society organisations until 13 September. The announcement was made on Friday, 28 August, by an official familiar with the matter, as India's examination oversight system undergoes its most significant restructuring in recent memory.

Who Is on the Task Force

Beyond Nandan Nilekani — the technologist widely credited as the architect of the Aadhaar identity system — the government has appointed a panel of seasoned institutional figures. Members include former ISRO Chairman S. Somnath, former Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Tapan Deka, IIT Chennai Director V. Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal, and Logistics Expert Amrit Lal Meena. The composition signals a deliberate blend of technology, security, academic, and administrative expertise.

What Suggestions Are Being Sought

The HPTF has outlined several thematic areas on which it is seeking public input. These include the conduct and security of public examinations, examination design and assessment methodology, governance and institutional accountability, and the prevention, detection, and redressal of examination malpractices. The task force is also inviting views on the deployment of secure Computer-Based Testing (CBT), expansion of examination infrastructure, and building an inclusive framework that addresses disparities across social, economic, regional, and linguistic groups. The stated objective is to develop a system that is robust, secure, transparent, equitable, and future-ready.

Context: Paper Leaks and Political Fallout

The formation of the HPTF follows a period of acute public pressure. Nilekani's appointment came a day after a sustained students' agitation against alleged paper leaks concluded — an agitation that had contributed to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan the previous month. This is the most visible structural response the Centre has mounted to the examination integrity crisis, which drew nationwide protests and cast a shadow over the credibility of the National Testing Agency (NTA).

NTA Gets New Leadership

In a parallel development, the National Testing Agency this week appointed two new directors and a joint director. Prasanna Venkatesh V, a 2012-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, has been posted to the NTA under the Central Staffing Scheme for a period of five years. Ravi Kumar Singh, a 2012-batch Andhra Pradesh cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer recommended for Central deputation by the Union Home Ministry, has also been appointed as director. Singh previously served as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Economic Offences Wing, Delhi Police. Additionally, Amit Samdariya, a 2016-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, will serve as joint director at the deputy secretary level for four years, according to the Department of Personnel and Training.

What Happens Next

The public consultation closes on 13 September, after which the HPTF is expected to consolidate recommendations and submit a reform roadmap to the government. The dual track — a high-powered advisory panel alongside fresh NTA leadership — suggests the Centre is moving on both policy design and institutional rebuilding simultaneously. Whether these measures restore public confidence in the examination system will depend heavily on the transparency of the process and the rigour with which recommendations are implemented.