NTA Empanels 5,000+ Experts for Question Paper Setting, Translation and Vetting; Details Here

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has empanelled more than 5,000 subject matter experts, academicians, scientists, researchers, educators, translators and moderators for various examination-related tasks. These experts will work on question paper setting, translation, vetting, moderation, answer key verification, curriculum mapping, research and psychometric validation.

The move is part of NTA's ongoing efforts to strengthen its examination system and improve question paper security. The agency is also building a large question bank from which questions can be selected for its entrance examinations.

NTA Question Paper Setting: What Will the 5,000+ Experts Do?

The experts will be involved in several confidential activities related to examination preparation. Their responsibilities include:

• Setting question papers
• Translating questions
• Vetting and reviewing questions
• Moderating question papers
• Verifying answer keys
• Mapping questions with the curriculum
• Conducting research
• Psychometric validation

NTA sources said the agency is not hiring these experts as regular employees. Instead, they are being added to a panel after a multi-layered scrutiny and verification process.

The panel will continue to expand throughout the year. NTA has not fixed a final deadline for empanelling subject matter experts and translators.

NTA Plans Large Question Bank to Prevent Paper Leaks

NTA is also working on creating its own vast database of questions for the purpose of examinations. The intention behind this strategy is to develop a database of questions that will minimize the chances of question papers being leaked out.

As per officials, those people who have the expertise to prepare and translate questions will not be aware of which questions would be finally picked up for the particular examination. The database would also be so vast that people preparing and translating questions cannot possibly remember all of them.

The officials also revealed that the NTA had started implementing this strategy for some of its examinations.

How Does NTA Verify Subject Matter Experts?

NTA has four-level verifications prior to empanelling the subject matter experts.

In the first level of verification, NTA verifies the basic details, eligibility, education qualification, and experience of the applicant. Post documentary verification, the subject matter committee verifies the academic qualification, research experience and experience of the applicant in question paper setting.

Those who pass this level get selected for the next round of verification. NTA performs background verification on applicants to find out whether applicants are linked to any coaching institute or have developed any question bank for the students.

This is done to ensure that only appropriate experts take part in confidential examinations.

NTA Introduces Strict Confidentiality Rules for Experts

These experts have to maintain confidentiality at all times. In addition, they have to sign a full Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) before entering the panel.

In addition, there should be a reaffirmation of the NDA before each task. This will ensure that there is no divulgence of confidential matters associated with question papers or other examination-related materials.

The NTA system is also framed with an objective of ensuring that the expert has limited knowledge regarding the final question paper. NTA intends to finalize the questions just before the exam.

Which Exams Does NTA Conduct?

NTA conducts several major entrance and eligibility examinations in India. These include:

• JEE Main

• NEET

• CUET UG

• CUET PG

• UGC-NET

• CSIR-NET

Except for NEET, the examinations mentioned above are conducted in computer-based test (CBT) mode, according to the information provided by NTA sources.

NTA Moves Towards an Exam-Agnostic System

The agency is also working on an “exam-agnostic” approach for conducting examinations. The objective is to ensure that the examination process isn't dependent on a particular vendor, technology or platform.

The expansion of the expert panel, creation of a large question bank and additional verification measures are part of NTA's broader efforts to strengthen the examination process and improve question paper security.

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