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New Delhi: In a major step aimed at restoring public confidence in India’s examination system, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced the formation of a high-powered task force on examination reforms, headed by Infosys co-founder and Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani. The panel has been tasked with recommending comprehensive reforms to make public examinations more reliable, transparent and technology-driven following widespread concerns over paper leaks and examination irregularities.

The announcement came through a video message shared by the Prime Minister, a day after the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan amid nationwide protests over alleged examination mismanagement. Modi said the Centre has already initiated legal action against those responsible for compromising the integrity of public examinations and is now focusing on long-term systemic reforms.

“Those who played with the future of students are in jail. We have established fast-track courts and are moving towards introducing stronger legal provisions. But we must also build an examination system that is reliable, transparent and makes maximum use of technology,” the Prime Minister said.

Focus on Technology and Structural Reforms

According to the Prime Minister, the task force will study India’s examination ecosystem and submit recommendations at the earliest. The government will use its report to implement measures aimed at strengthening the credibility and security of upcoming examinations.

The panel has been specifically mandated to recommend reforms in technology adoption, examination security, governance mechanisms and structural changes to minimise the scope for paper leaks, impersonation, organised cheating and other malpractices.

Expert Panel Drawn from Diverse Fields

Reflecting a multidisciplinary approach, the task force comprises experts from technology, education, science, intelligence and public administration. Apart from Nandan Nilekani, the members include:

  • Former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath
  • Former Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka
  • IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti
  • Former Education Secretary Anita Karwal
  • Logistics and governance expert Amrit Lal Meena

The government believes the combined expertise of the panel will help redesign India’s examination framework with stronger digital infrastructure, better operational safeguards and enhanced transparency.

Why Nandan Nilekani?

Nandan Nilekani is widely recognised as one of India’s foremost technology leaders. Besides co-founding Infosys, he served as the founding Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and played a pivotal role in developing the Aadhaar digital identity platform.

His experience in building large-scale digital public infrastructure is expected to play a crucial role in modernising India’s examination architecture through secure digital systems, authentication technologies and data-driven governance.

Part of a Wider Reform Agenda

The announcement forms part of the Centre’s broader strategy to address growing concerns over examination integrity after multiple paper leak controversies involving competitive examinations.

The Union government is also preparing to introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks stricter penalties, faster investigations and time-bound trials for examination-related offences. The proposed legislation aims to strengthen the existing legal framework by increasing punishments for organised cheating and examination fraud.

With the constitution of the Nilekani-led task force and the proposed legislative changes, the Centre has signalled a comprehensive push to overhaul India’s examination ecosystem, combining technological innovation with stronger legal safeguards to protect the interests of millions of students across the country.

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