The National Testing Agency (NTA) is facing another major examination-system overhaul after fresh problems in the UGC-NET June 2026 examination. Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi has now ordered a comprehensive audit of the agency’s examination processes and asked officials to submit a report outlining the corrective action taken.
The decision came after the NTA announced fresh examinations for three UGC-NET subjects—English, Commerce and Sociology—following complaints about serious flaws in their question papers. An expert committee formed to examine the complaints found several types of errors, prompting the agency to cancel the affected papers and schedule them again.
Government Wants a Complete Review of NTA
Joshi held a review meeting with the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh and other senior officials. The meeting focused on the agency’s examination procedures, recent lapses and measures being introduced to improve its functioning.
Rather than limiting the response to the three affected UGC-NET papers, the ministry has called for a wider examination of the NTA’s entire testing system.
The agency has been instructed to audit its examination processes and identify weaknesses at different stages. The objective is to ensure that future national-level examinations are conducted with greater accuracy, security and accountability.
Fresh UGC-NET Exams in September
The immediate concern for candidates is the re-examination of three UGC-NET papers.
The June 2026 UGC-NET examination was conducted between June 22 and June 30 across 87 subjects. The test determines eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship, Assistant Professor positions and admission to PhD programmes.
After receiving complaints about the English, Commerce and Sociology papers, the NTA formed a committee to investigate the matter. Its review found several problems, including factual mistakes, typographical errors, translation issues, grammatical problems and incorrectly worded questions.
The committee also flagged repeated questions and errors involving names of scholars and book titles. According to reports, the number and nature of the mistakes were serious enough that the NTA decided a fresh examination was preferable to simply removing problematic questions during the answer-key process.
The English and Commerce papers will be conducted again on September 9, while the Sociology examination is scheduled for September 10. Candidates appearing for these re-examinations will not have to pay another examination fee.
NTA Security System Also Under Review
The government’s response goes beyond question-paper quality.
Joshi has directed the NTA to strictly follow established examination protocols and carry out a major overhaul of its Confidential Operations, or CONOPS, system. This includes reviewing secluded examination rooms, air-gapped computer systems and device-deposit procedures.
These measures are designed to strengthen the security of confidential examination material and reduce the possibility of unauthorised access or operational failures.
The focus on security is particularly important because the NTA conducts some of India’s biggest competitive examinations. A problem at any stage can affect a large number of students and potentially force authorities to repeat an examination.
More Than 50 Staff Members Removed
The ministry has also disclosed significant internal changes at the testing agency.
More than 50 NTA staff members have reportedly been removed as part of the restructuring process. At the same time, the agency is adding professionals to strengthen important technical and administrative functions.
Ten new leadership positions have been advertised, including Chief Technology Officer, Chief Finance Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, General Manager for Test Security and General Manager for Research and Development and Psychometrics.
The NTA is also bringing in specialists from the private sector for areas such as cybersecurity, psychometrics and question-paper design. The move is intended to add specialised expertise to areas that directly affect examination quality and security.
UGC-NET Issue Adds to NTA’s Growing Challenges
The latest controversy has emerged during a difficult year for the testing agency.
The NTA has already faced serious scrutiny over other major examinations. The NEET-UG 2026 examination was cancelled following a question-paper leak and a re-examination was subsequently held. The CUET-UG examination also faced technical problems, with thousands of students reportedly unable to take the test because of a software-related issue.
With multiple examinations facing different kinds of problems, concerns over the reliability of the testing system have increased.
The UGC-NET issue has added another layer because the problems were found inside the question papers themselves. For students who spend months preparing for competitive examinations, errors in a paper can directly affect their performance and academic plans.
Student Protests Add Pressure
The controversy has also moved beyond official reviews.
The National Students’ Union of India organised a protest in Delhi against the NTA over alleged irregularities in the UGC-NET examination. The demonstration later witnessed clashes between protesters and security personnel.
For affected candidates, the re-examination means additional preparation, uncertainty and another wait for results. While the decision to conduct fresh tests is intended to protect fairness, students are also looking for greater clarity about how such errors occurred in the first place.
What Happens Next?
The audit ordered by Pralhad Joshi could become an important test for the NTA’s future functioning.
The immediate task is to conduct the three UGC-NET re-examinations smoothly and ensure that the affected candidates receive a fair opportunity. At the same time, the larger challenge is to prevent similar problems from recurring across other national examinations.
The government’s decision to review question-paper preparation, confidential operations, security systems, staffing and professional expertise suggests that the response is aimed at structural changes rather than a temporary fix.
For millions of students who depend on national-level examinations for admission, research opportunities and professional careers, the credibility of the testing system is crucial. The NTA audit will now determine whether the agency can turn the latest controversy into a broader reform of its examination machinery—and restore confidence among students, teachers and institutions.
See more: Emraan Hashmi
