Modi announces exam reform task force

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced the setting up of a high-powered task force, headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, to recommend reforms for strengthening the country's examination system.
In a video message posted on X, Modi said the panel would examine ways to make examinations more reliable, transparent and technology-driven, with future government reforms to be based on its recommendations.
"Keeping all this in mind, a decision has been taken to form a high-powered task force under the leadership of the world-renowned technology expert Nandan Nilekani, which will focus on examination reform. At the earliest, work will be undertaken to ensure the reliability of upcoming examinations, based on its report," he said.  The announcement comes amid mounting concern over examination integrity following a string of paper-leak controversies, and follows the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as union education minister amid protests demanding accountability over exam-related irregularities.
Addressing students and parents, Modi said the government had already taken strict action against those responsible for compromising examinations.  “Those who played with the future of students are rotting in jail. We have set up fast-track courts and are moving ahead with a new law containing stringent legal provisions,” he said, adding that the examination system must become more trustworthy while making greater use of modern technology to check malpractice.
Panel to drive reforms
Besides Nilekani, the task force includes former ISRO chairman S Somanath, former Intelligence Bureau director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras director V Kamakoti, former education secretary Anita Karwal, and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena. 
The panel is expected to recommend both structural and technological reforms to the conduct of examinations nationwide.
Nilekani’s credentials
Nilekani is best known for leading large-scale digital public infrastructure projects in India. As founding chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India, he oversaw the rollout of the Aadhaar programme. 
He also co-founded the eGov Foundation, which builds platforms for urban governance, and the EkStep Foundation, which promotes foundational literacy and numeracy through digital learning. An IIT Bombay graduate, he has received the Padma Bhushan and the Joseph Schumpeter Prize.
The government hopes the task force’s findings will restore public confidence in the examination system through stronger technological safeguards and structural reform.
Ashoke Raj is an independent 
journalist based in Delhi