The Cabinet on Friday approved setting up a National Testing Agency to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutes in India.
To begin with, the agency will hold exams conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education. Other tests will be included in its ambit gradually, the Centre said.
“As of now, CBSE conducts nine types of exams, with about 70 lakh students appearing for them,” Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Twitter. “The National Testing Agency will take off the burden of conducting entrance examinations from the CBSE.”
Javadekar said the testing agency will bring in “high reliability, standardised assessing aptitude and conduct of tamper-proof exams”.
An eminent educationist appointed by the Human Resource Development Ministry will head the agency, which will registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act. It will conduct tests online, at least twice a year, and the exam centres will be located at both district and sub-district levels.
The National Testing Agency will get a one-time central grant of Rs 25 crore to conduct its examinations. Thereafter, the government said the agency will become financially “self-sustainable”.
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