HRD ministry to set up NTA to conduct exams for higher, secondary education
The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRB) will soon set up a department – National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct examinations for higher and secondary education.
NTA will be the single authority that will conduct entrance tests for all higher institutions like JEE, NEET, NET and other prestigious exams.
Key Facts
- Establishment of NTA will free CBSE, AICTE and other agencies from conducting various exams and enable them to focus on their core areas and work on improving the quality of education.
- Its main purpose is to bring reforms in the education system. Initially examinations like IIT, NIT and even university exams will be conducted by NTA. Later on secondary school exams will also be handed over to it.
- Initially, the CBSE staff will be deployed in this department and but later on the specialised people will be hired in the NTA.
Background
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Union Budget 2017’s speech had announced that a single authority National Testing Agency will be established to conduct entrance tests for all higher institutions and other prestigious exams. Earlier in 2016, Last year, the CBSE had asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) to conduct the National Eligibility Test (NET) on its own as the board wanted to focus on its core areas and work on improving the quality of education. CBSE even had conveyed to the HRD Ministry that conducting exams for various government bodies puts a lot of burden on them and stretches its resources.
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Month: Current Affairs - February, 2017