New Delhi: Amid the ongoing investigation over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy, the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday announced a series of institutional, technical and administrative reforms, while Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a high-level review meeting to assess the preparations for the upcoming NEET (UG) re-exam and tighten security arrangements in states.These reforms come weeks after the NEET-UG exam was canceled on May 3 following allegations that parts of the question paper were leaked ahead of the exam. The controversy revived concerns over exam security after earlier irregularities involving NEET 2024, including allegations of paper leaks, grace marks controversy, questionable perfect scores and claims of organized malpractice networks operating in several states.The NTA said it has initiated measures to strengthen its “leadership team, institutional capacity and oversight mechanisms” in line with the recommendations of the high-level expert committee headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan.As part of the restructuring, four senior officers, including two Joint Secretary level officers designated as Additional Directors General, have been deployed to the agency to improve administrative oversight and operational monitoring. NTA has also advertised three specialist leadership positions – Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Finance Officer (CFO) and General Manager (Human Resources) – aimed at modernizing the examination system, institutional governance and internal accountability structures.According to the agency, the proposed CTO will oversee the complete digital examination ecosystem, including confidential question paper management, AI-powered integrity controls, biometric and facial authentication systems, cyber security safeguards and anomaly analysis designed to detect suspicious patterns during examinations.The agency said the comprehensive reforms will include technology-enabled security measures at each stage as well as structural changes in question paper preparation, translation, printing and logistics. It also proposed a continuous monitoring system, stronger audit framework, professional training, better stakeholder coordination and better grievance redressal mechanism for students and parents.During Tuesday’s review meeting, Pradhan stressed that all the shortcomings identified in the previous examination process should be comprehensively addressed and eliminated. He directed officials to ensure that the re-examination is conducted in a “safe, seamless and fool-proof manner” under stringent protocols. The Minister also directed officials to strengthen surveillance, maintain vigil at the centers and hold coordination meetings with District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police of the states to ensure adequate arrangements, transport assistance, medical aid and student facilitation system for the candidates appearing in the examination across the country in the coming weeks. Officials were also asked to ensure uninterrupted power supply, secure storage facilities for examination material and quick response teams for emergencies.