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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Trust Reset

As the recent protests over the NEET paper leak showed, India’s examination system has reached a point where incremental repairs are no longer enough. The appointment of a high-powered task force on examination reforms, headed by technology pioneer Nandan Nilekani, is therefore not merely an administrative response to the NEET-UG paper leak crisis but a concrete attempt to rebuild confidence in one of the country’s most important public institutions. Examinations are gateways to opportunity,...

Trust Reset

As the recent protests over the NEET paper leak showed, India’s examination system has reached a point where incremental repairs are no longer enough. The appointment of a high-powered task force on examination reforms, headed by technology pioneer Nandan Nilekani, is therefore not merely an administrative response to the NEET-UG paper leak crisis but a concrete attempt to rebuild confidence in one of the country’s most important public institutions. Examinations are gateways to opportunity, social mobility and professional ambition. For millions of students across the country, a competitive examination represents years of sacrifice by families and the possibility of a better future. When question papers leak repeatedly, evaluation systems fail or allegations of manipulation emerge, the resulting damage strikes at the idea of fairness itself. The crisis surrounding NEET-UG exposed uncomfortable vulnerabilities in the country’s examination infrastructure. The resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the subsequent appointment of Pralhad Joshi with additional charge of the ministry underlined the political seriousness of the issue. But political accountability alone cannot fix a structural problem. That is why the composition of the new task force is a move on the right direction. It brings together expertise from technology, space research, intelligence, education administration and logistics. Nilekani’s appointment is particularly significant. The former Infosys chief executive and architect of Aadhaar has experience in building large-scale digital public infrastructure involving hundreds of millions of citizens. The Aadhaar project itself was born out of a similar challenge: how to create a reliable identity system in a country where leakages and duplication weakened welfare delivery. India’s examination system now requires the same kind of thinking. The committee’s mandate to examine the entire examination lifecycle - from question paper creation and distribution to candidate verification, evaluation and results - is the right approach. The problem lies in multiple weak points where human intervention, poor security protocols and outdated processes can create opportunities for malpractice. Technology will inevitably be central to the solution. Artificial intelligence can help detect unusual patterns, blockchain-based verification can strengthen record security and better data systems can improve transparency. But a secure examination system requires independent oversight, professional management, clear accountability and swift punishment for wrongdoing. India’s National Testing Agency was created to bring efficiency and standardisation to public examinations. Its credibility must now be restored through reforms that are visible and trusted by students. The Nilekani task force has been given the difficult job of repairing that trust. The government has chosen a committee led by people with experience of managing complex national systems. It is a sensible first step. The real test will now be whether its recommendations translate into action.

Uddhav announces victory march on July 5

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the Maharashtra government lost to the power of "Marathi manoos" after it withdrew two GRs (government resolutions) on the implementation of Hindi, part of the three-language policy, in Classes 1 to 5 in state schools.


Addressing a press conference, Thackeray said the Devendra Fadnavis government attempted to break the unity of the Marathi manoos and create a divide between Marathis and non-Marathis.


"The government lost to the power of Marathi manoos. The government did not realise Marathi manoos will unite in this manner," he asserted.


Amid an announcement by his party colleague Sanjay Raut that the rally on July 5 to protest the GRs stood cancelled, Thackeray said the event will now be a victory march to celebrate the success of Marathi unity.


The former chief minister also dubbed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party as a factory of lies.


Uddhav dismissed Fadnavis’ claim on Dr. Mashelkar Committee. He said he had appointed a study group on Mashelkar panel suggestions, but the group did not hold even a single meeting.


“Why was the government so adamant about the Hindi language and who exactly was pressuring the government for this remains a mystery. Do not create confusion with the (Jadhav) committee's report again, otherwise the government should note that this committee will not be allowed to function in Maharashtra. Don’t create confusion with the (Jadhav) committee's report again, otherwise the government should note that this committee will not be allowed to function in Maharashtra.”

Raj Thackeray, President, MNS

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