UPSC Express

Features of National Testing Agency

• The National Testing Agency (NTA) will be created as a Society registered under the Indian Society Registration Act, 1860.

• It will be an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions.

• The NTA will begin by conducting exams managed by the CBSE and gradually conduct other examinations too.

• The entrance examinations will be conducted in online mode at least twice a year.

• In order to serve the requirements of the rural students, it would locate the centres at sub-district/district level and as far as possible would undertake hands-on training to the students.

Aim

• Establishment of NTA will bring in high reliability, standardized difficulty level for assessing the aptitude, intelligence and problem solving abilities of the students.

Composition

• The NTA will be chaired by an educationist appointed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

• There will be a Board of Governors comprising members from user institutions.

• The CEO will be the Director General to be appointed by the Government and will be

• assisted by 9 verticals headed by academicians/ experts.

Finances

• The Centre will give an initial grant of ₹25-crore to the NTA to start its operations in the first year. Thereafter, it will be self-sustaining.