NTA Faces Exam Security Crisis Amid Darknet Threats, Strives to Maintain Academic Schedule

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is currently facing significant disruptions amidst concerns over security threats originating from the darknet. Despite these challenges, there remains a pressing expectation to ensure timely conduct and announcement of results. This is crucial to avoid disruptions in the academic schedule, which had only recently stabilized following the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

The agency faces challenges with staff retention amid rumors of officials considering leaving. Veteran staff members state that restoring confidence hinges on addressing fundamental issues, regardless of whether exams are conducted online or offline. Additionally, the NTA had to cancel three national-level tests, including NCET 2024 and UGC-NET, and postponed CSIR-UGC-NET shortly before its scheduled date.

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According to a report of TOI, "A big shake-up in technology and capacity building is needed," said a senior official. He noted that merely looking at exam models proposed by the forthcoming high-powered committee will not be enough. For example, the computer-based ITEP had to be cancelled "despite having a comparatively smaller number of candidates. Each file was around 5GB, and when downloaded at the centres, they received distorted question papers".

Sources from the IT department express confidence in releasing CUET-UG results by June 30 but are uncertain about rescheduling cancelled and postponed exams. Comparing it to the AIPMT paper leak in 2004, an NTA source mentioned challenges in swiftly rescheduling due to concerns over compromised security protocols.