Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of a high-powered task force to recommend reforms for India's nationwide examination system on July 26, 2026 [1].

The move comes as the government seeks to restore public trust in the integrity of national tests. By appointing a technology leader to oversee the overhaul, the administration aims to eliminate systemic vulnerabilities that lead to cheating and administrative failures.

Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani will head the task force [1]. The group is charged with creating a more transparent, and technology-driven framework for conducting exams across the country [2]. A primary objective of the initiative is to curb offenses related to paper leaks, which have historically disrupted the academic calendars of millions of students [2].

The announcement follows significant public outcry and controversy surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) [3]. The government intends to use the task force to modernize the infrastructure of the examination process, ensuring that digital tools are leveraged to prevent fraud and increase efficiency [3].

Modi shared the announcement via a video statement from the Prime Minister's office [4]. The task force will evaluate the current shortcomings of the examination system and provide a roadmap for a more secure, technology-enabled transition [4]. This approach reflects a broader strategy to integrate private-sector expertise into public administration to solve long-standing bureaucratic challenges [4].

While the specific timeline for the task force's first set of recommendations was not detailed in the announcement, the appointment of Nilekani suggests a focus on scalable digital identity and verification systems [5]. Such systems are intended to make the process of candidate verification, and result publication more resilient to manipulation [5].

“The group is charged with creating a more transparent and technology-driven framework for conducting exams.”

The appointment of Nandan Nilekani, a key architect of India's Aadhaar biometric ID system, suggests that the government will likely move toward a centralized, digitally verified identity framework for students. By shifting the focus from manual oversight to technology-driven security, India is attempting to solve the 'paper leak' problem through systemic digitalization rather than mere policy enforcement.