Union Minister Jitendra Singh said to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, July 28, that the Modi government completed the establishment of the National Testing Agency.
The statement highlights a long-standing political divide over the administration of national exams and the effectiveness of centralized testing in India. The debate occurred during discussions on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill [3].
Singh said the current government finished an "unfinished task" that previous Congress administrations had failed to execute. According to the minister, recommendations to establish the NTA had existed since 1992 [1]. He said that despite a strong push for the agency during the UPA era in 2010, the effort did not result in a functional body [1].
"Modi must be commended for finishing the unfinished task of setting up the National Testing Agency," Singh said [2].
The minister said the agency is now fully operational for higher-education admissions. He said the NTA works alongside other major bodies, including the UPSC, SSC, and Railway Recruitment [2].
This legislative push comes as the government seeks to curb paper leaks and ensure the integrity of public examinations. The minister's remarks in the Lok Sabha underscore a narrative of administrative efficiency compared to the perceived inaction of prior governments, a recurring theme in current parliamentary debates.
“"Modi must be commended for finishing the unfinished task of setting up the National Testing Agency."”
The establishment of the NTA represents a shift toward a more centralized, standardized testing regime in India. By framing the agency's creation as a victory over previous legislative failures, the current government is linking its administrative capability directly to the resolution of systemic educational vulnerabilities, such as exam irregularities and paper leaks.
