PM Modi Announces Nandan Nilekani ‘High Performance’ Task Force on Exam Reforms | Today’s news
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (July 26) announced the formation of a “high-powered” task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to devise measures for leak-proof and tech-sound testing.
The legislative push comes a day after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned following a 37-day protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The movement gained national attention after activist Sonam Wangchuk joined it through an unspecified swift and mounting pressure on the government over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.
Working Group on Education Reforms
The government has set up a multi-disciplinary panel of experts in the field to overhaul the National Testing Agency (NTA) with a focus on strengthening its technological capabilities and implementing structural reforms in the examination system.
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The task force aims to recommend measures to make competitive exams tighter, more technologically capable and more reliable.
It was formed in response to nationwide protests against education reforms and concerns about exam paper leaks, especially after the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.
The legislation contains strict criminal provisions, establishes fast-track courts and mandates speedy investigations of investigative offenses to combat paper leaks.
The establishment of the task force and the new legislation aim to increase the credibility and transparency of the upcoming examinations and address previous concerns about integrity.
The task force comprises technology experts and eminent personalities such as Nandan Nilekani, former ISRO chairman S. Somnath and IIT Madras director V. Kamakoti.
The task force comprises technology expert Nandan Nilekani, former ISRO chairman S Somnath, former Intelligence Bureau director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras director V Kamakoti, former education minister Anita Karwal and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena.
What did PM Modi say?
PM Modi took to his social media platforms and said in a video, “Government of India is constantly taking various measures for the future of students. Those who tampered with the future of students are languishing in jail. We have already set up fast track courts. We are also moving to enact new legislation in parliament which includes strict statutory provisions.”
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“However, we must look to the future. Our investigation system must be reliable and transparent and must make maximum use of technology. Keeping all these factors in mind, we have decided to form a high-powered task force under the leadership of world-renowned technology expert Nandan Nilekani. This task force will focus on exam reforms and based on its report, steps will be taken to ensure the credibility of the upcoming exams.”
Monsoon session of parliament second week
Parliament is expected to resume normal proceedings on Monday following Pradhan’s resignation, a key demand of protesting students, the CJP and the opposition.
The government is also set to introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Malpractice) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha as part of its efforts to curb paper leaks in competitive examinations.
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The proposed legislation contains strict criminal provisions to deal with cases of leakage of examination documents. The bill will be tabled by Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh, who along with Union Health Minister JP Nadda recently held discussions with a CJP delegation to resolve the ongoing protests over the NEET-UG paper leak.
With the first week of the monsoon session largely marred by opposition protests, the government is expected to accelerate its legislative agenda during the remaining sessions of Parliament as well.
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According to the Lok Sabha agenda, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who also holds the portfolios of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and serves as Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, will introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Malpractice) Amendment Bill, 2026 on Monday and then move it for passage in the House.
The proposed legislation seeks to strengthen the existing 2024 Act through seven major amendments aimed at closing enforcement gaps, creating specialized judicial mechanisms and ensuring speedy prosecution of investigative offences.
Key provisions of the law include that investigations into crimes under the law must be completed within two months. It also empowers State Governments and Union Territory Administrations to designate High Courts as special fast track courts exclusively to hear cases under the Act. These courts will have to conduct hearings on a daily basis and conclude trials within three months of the indictment.
The legislation further authorizes the center to establish a special task force to investigate serious cases of fraud or fraud involving cross-state investigations. In addition, States and Union Territories will be able to appoint specialized public prosecutors to exclusively deal with cases involving investigative misconduct.
The amendment also proposes stiffer penalties, including increased jail terms and stiffer financial penalties, for individuals, coaching institutes and service providers found guilty of organized paper leakage scams.
Despite repeated disruptions caused by opposition protests during the first week of the monsoon session, the government managed to introduce two pieces of legislation, the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha and the Prevention of Insults to National Honor (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Rajya Sabha.
The Center is also expected to push through several other pieces of legislation during the remainder of the session, including the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Regulation of Foreign Contribution26 (Foreign Contribution26 Amendment) Bill
