UGC-NET retest: Education Ministry seeks complete overhaul of confidential operations in NTA

The Ministry of Education has initiated reforms in the National Testing Agency's (NTA) examination system following a re-test for UGC-NET June 2026 papers in English, Commerce, and Sociology. Education Minister Pralhad Joshi convened a meeting on Monday with key NTA officials to assess measures being taken to enhance the agency's examination processes.

The review revealed several steps taken by NTA, including the removal of over 50 staff members and the advertisement of 10 new leadership positions, focusing on technology, finance, cybersecurity, test security, research and development, and psychometrics. The government plans to bring in domain experts from the private sector for cybersecurity, psychometrics, and question-paper design.

Education Minister Pralhad Joshi has mandated a rigorous overhaul of the agency's confidential operations (CONOPS) systems, emphasizing the need for strict adherence to examination protocols and the implementation of enhanced security measures such as secluded rooms, air-gapped systems, and device-deposit protocols. NTA is also obligated to conduct a comprehensive audit of its examination procedures and submit a report outlining corrective actions.

The re-test for UGC-NET June 2026 in English, Commerce, and Sociology is scheduled for September 9 and 10, 2026, with no additional fee for candidates. This re-examination follows the discovery of factual, typographical, translation, and question-related errors in the original papers, necessitating a complete overhaul of NTA's examination and operational systems to prevent similar issues in the future.