Nandan Nilekani to head high-powered exam reforms committee

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a high-powered task force led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to recommend technology-driven reforms for a leakproof exam system. The move follows the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after a 36-day student agitation over paper leaks.

New Delhi: In yet another step to address students’ concerns over paper leaks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced the constitution of a high-powered task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to recommend reforms to make the exam system leakproof.

The government will implement the suggestions of the task force, which will ensure the examination system is trustworthy and will bring transparency through maximum use of technology, he said in a video message posted on his Instagram handle.

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The prime minister’s announcement comes a day after the 36-day agitation, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), ended with the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as the Education Minister.

A multidisciplinary group of domain experts will be part of the task force on reforms to be carried out for the examinations conducted by the NTA.

Besides Nilekani, other members of the task force are former chairman of ISRO S Somanath, former director of the Intelligence Bureau, Tapan Deka, director of IIT Chennai, V Kamakoti, former education secretary Anita Karwal, and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena.

Reacting to the development, Union minister Pralhad Joshi, who has been given additional charge of the Education Ministry after Pradhan’s resignation, said there would be “no compromise when it comes to the future of our youth.”

He said the government has constituted the high-powered task force under Nilekani to drive technology-led reforms for transparent, credible and secure national examinations.

Joshi also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier in the evening, which assumes significance in the wake of a bill expected in Parliament on greater checks against paper leaks.

Nilekani was the architect of Aadhaar and is the key person behind India’s digital public infrastructure ecosystem.

Modi said that for the future of students, the government of India has been continuously taking different steps.

He said those “who played with the future of the students” have been put in jails, and the government is going to bring a new bill on Monday in Parliament to have a strong law against examination paper leaks.

He added, “But we will have to think about the future. To make sure our examination system is trustworthy, transparent and the technology is used optimally, we have decided to constitute a high-powered committee headed by world-renowned technology expert Nandan Nilekani.”

The prime minister said the task force has been set up keeping all these aspects in mind.

“It will focus on examination reforms. As soon as we get the report, we will implement its suggestions to ensure future examination trustworthy,” he said.

The Centre is scheduled to introduce a bill in the Lok Sabha on Monday to strengthen the anti-paper leak law. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, proposes setting up fast-track courts in every state for paper leak cases and completion of investigations within two months.

It also has provisions for enhanced punishment, including imprisonment of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh for individuals involved in paper leaks. Organised crimes related to paper leaks could attract fines of up to Rs 10 crore.

The CJP had led a sit-in at Jantar Mantar since June 20, demanding the resignation of Pradhan, accountability over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and irregularities in the CBSE’s on-screen marking process, besides seeking wider reforms in the conduct of public examinations.

The agitation got support from thousands of students across the country, along with major opposition parties.

The agitation gathered pace around a fortnight later after videos of activist Sonam Wangchuk’s deteriorating condition during the fast went viral. On July 18, police forcibly shifted him to Safdarjung Hospital, triggering widespread anger among students and protesters.

On July 20, a massive protest march to Parliament witnessed a strong police response involving a lathicharge and the use of tear gas.

After three rounds of talks, the CJP and the government reached an agreement on Saturday under which the government accepted its demands. The CJP immediately called off its stir.

Besides Pradhan’s resignation, the government also agreed to provide “honourable” compensation to the families of students who allegedly committed suicide and withdrawal of FIRs in Delhi and other BJP-ruled states.