PM Modi announces Nandan Nilekani-led ‘high-powered’ task force on exam reforms

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (26 July) announced the formation of a “high-powered” task force under the leadership of Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to suggest measures for leak-proof and tech-sound exams.

The legislative push comes a day after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned following a 37-day protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The movement gained nationwide attention after activist Sonam Wangchuk joined it through an indefinite fast, intensifying pressure on the government over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.

Task force on education reforms

The government has constituted a multidisciplinary panel of domain experts to revamp the National Testing Agency (NTA), with a focus on strengthening its technological capabilities and implementing structural reforms in the examination system.

The task force comprises technology expert Nandan Nilekani, former ISRO chairman S Somnath, former Intelligence Bureau director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal, and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena.

What did PM Modi say?

PM Modi took to his social media platforms and said in a video, “The Government of India is continuously taking various measures for the future of students. Those who tampered with the students' future are languishing in jail. We have already established fast-track courts. We are also moving towards enacting new legislation in Parliament that incorporates stringent legal provisions.”

“However, we must look to the future. Our examination system needs to be reliable and transparent, and it must make maximum use of technology. Keeping all these factors in mind, we have decided to constitute a high-powered task force under the leadership of the world-renowned technology expert Nandan Nilekani. This task force will focus on examination reforms, and based on its report, steps will be taken to ensure the credibility of upcoming examinations at the earliest,” he added.

Who is Nandan Nilekani?

Born in Bengaluru in 1955, Nandan Nilekani is widely regarded as one of India's leading technology entrepreneurs. He co-founded Infosys and later became the founding chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the government agency that introduced Aadhaar, the world's largest biometric identity programme.

Nilekani studied electrical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. He began his professional career at Patni Computer Systems, where he first met N.R. Narayana Murthy.

Monsoon session of Parliament second week

Parliament is expected to resume normal proceedings on Monday following the resignation of Pradhan, a key demand of protesting students, CJP and the Opposition.

The government is also set to introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha as part of its efforts to curb paper leaks in competitive examinations.

The proposed legislation includes stringent penal provisions to address cases of examination paper leaks. The Bill will be introduced by Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh, who, along with Union Health Minister JP Nadda, recently held discussions with a delegation of the CJP to resolve the ongoing protests over the NEET-UG paper leak.

With the first week of the Monsoon Session largely disrupted by Opposition protests, the government is also expected to accelerate its legislative agenda during the remaining sittings of Parliament.

According to the Lok Sabha's listed agenda for Monday, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who also holds the portfolios of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and serves as Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, will introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 and subsequently move it for passage in the House.

The proposed legislation seeks to strengthen the existing 2024 law through seven major amendments aimed at closing enforcement gaps, creating dedicated judicial mechanisms, and ensuring the swift prosecution of examination-related offences.

Among its key provisions, the Bill mandates that investigations into offences under the Act be completed within two months. It also empowers state governments and Union Territory administrations to designate Courts of Session as Special Fast-Track Courts exclusively to hear cases under the law. These courts will be required to conduct hearings on a day-to-day basis and conclude trials within three months of the filing of the chargesheet.

The legislation further authorises the Centre to establish a Special Task Force to investigate major or inter-state examination fraud cases. In addition, states and Union Territories will be able to appoint specialised public prosecutors to exclusively handle cases involving examination malpractice.

The amendment also proposes tougher punishments, including enhanced prison terms and steeper financial penalties, for individuals, coaching institutes, and service providers found guilty of organised paper leak rackets.

Despite repeated disruptions caused by Opposition protests during the first week of the Monsoon Session, the government managed to introduce two legislations, the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Rajya Sabha.

The Centre is also expected to push several other pending legislations during the remaining part of the session, including the Income-tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026.