NTA is taking the help of AICTE to map facilities for setting up test centres
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has sought the help of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to map IT infrastructure and vacancies in government institutions to set up Standard Test Centers (STCs). These centers will facilitate computer-based testing (CBT) for NTA examinations, including the high-stakes National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
NTA plans to shift NEET to CBT mode next year. Nearly 22 thousand students participated in NEET-UG 2026 which was held in pen and paper format. The exam was embroiled in a paper leak controversy and had to be re-conducted, leading to widespread protests and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Infrastructure audit
Based on the NTA’s request, the AICTE wrote to the vice-chancellors of government technical universities and heads of AICTE-approved government institutes on August 31 to assess their infrastructure.
AICTE has directed all approved government engineering colleges, polytechnics, university departments and technical and management institutes to submit comprehensive details of their facilities by September 15.
The move follows the NTA directive issued on August 5 to address the gradual migration of national-level examinations to online and CBT mode. “By introducing STCs in government institutions, NTA aims to create a wider, highly secure and geographically distributed network of test centers,” NTA officials said.
AICTE emphasized that this data collection is strictly limited to government-owned and approved institutes. Institutes must complete a questionnaire detailing every aspect of their current technical ecosystem.
In view of the scale of national examinations, AICTE has urged all heads of institutions to treat the matter as highly critical.
Connectivity specifications
The AICTE circular states that institutions must declare the total number of computer labs, their combined capacity of computing nodes and the specifications of these nodes.
The audit must include the exact number of functional nodes available to date, processor specifications (eg Intel i3 or i5) and installed operating systems with versions. Physical security measures are also required, including whether nodes are equipped with partitions and privacy screens. AICTE has also sought input on the feasibility of adding more nodes within the existing lab footprints.
To ensure smooth delivery of the exam without technical glitches, NTA and AICTE assess local and external networks for internet connectivity.
AICTE sought details on local area network (LAN) status, types of cabling used (Cat 5e, Cat 6, Cat 6A or Fibre), number and types of network switches (brand and port capacity) as well as availability of dedicated server room or rack space, including overall server area and configurations. It also asked for details of the primary ISP, connection type (broadband, leased or fiber), speed in Mb/s, whether the line is dedicated or shared. The presence of a redundant or secondary backup Internet link is also mandatory.
Power outages during high-stakes trials lead to the risk of retrials. Therefore, AICTE said that institutes must detail their electrical backup capabilities. Details of surveillance systems are also being sought, requiring information on existing CCTV coverage in all laboratories and connecting corridors.
NTA and AICTE are also mapping the physical plan of the colleges to manage the traffic of candidates smoothly. The assessment includes whether institutes have dedicated facilities for candidate registration, biometric verification and screening. They also check that there are separate entry and exit routes for effective crowd management. AICTE also asked whether the institutes have secure premises like a safe or a dedicated control room. Availability of boundary walls, overall security measures, ground floor laboratories, ramps and accessible toilets for persons with disabilities (PwD) are also being assessed.
Support staff
AICTE has asked the institutes to specify their total capacity of IT or computer department and specialized laboratory staff in the audit. They must also disclose details of active Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMCs) or on-call technical support. Crucially, colleges must list their availability on weekends, public holidays and during semester breaks, along with any historical restrictions they faced when holding CBT exams in the past.
Apart from the current infrastructure, AICTE is aggressively looking for future development opportunities in these campuses. Institutes must report their total built-up area of the campus and estimate available, unused spaces (especially on the ground floor) that can be converted into new laboratories. They are also required to evaluate the existing electrical and network frameworks in these empty areas to estimate how many additional nodes could be accommodated if they develop into fully functional STCs.
Published – 04 Sep 2026 22:02 IST