NTA Aims to Export Indian Exam System as Global Digital Public Good: DG Abhishek Singh
The National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General, Abhishek Singh, announced on September 13, 2026, at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, that the NTA aims to export its indigenous examination system as a global ‘digital public good’. This strategic move seeks to share India’s advanced assessment technology and cross-border examination services with other countries, particularly within the BRICS bloc.
This initiative follows a dual roadmap focusing initially on strengthening NTA’s core infrastructure within India to ensure error-free and fair domestic assessments. Once these systems are tough, the agency plans to lay the groundwork for international technology sharing, marking a significant step towards globalising India’s expertise in digital examination management.
| Event | NTA aims to export exam system |
|---|---|
| Date | 13 September 2026 |
| Status | Announced |
NTA’S Domestic Consolidation and Fraud Prevention
Abhishek Singh emphasised that the immediate operational priority for the NTA is to consolidate and improve its existing testing framework within India. This involves strengthening processes to conduct examinations without errors and in a completely fair manner. “Right now we are trying to consolidate our own testing framework. So first is to improve the systems and strengthen the processes within India so that we are able to conduct examinations without any error and in a completely fair manner,” Singh stated.
Central to NTA’s strategy for fraud prevention are artificial intelligence (AI) and biometric verification. The agency extensively uses Aadhaar-based and face authentication methods for candidate verification in almost every examination it conducts. Singh highlighted, “We have Aadhaar based and face authentication method, which you use to verify there. So that is not a problem. With this Aadhaar database and the face authentication system, we have solved that problem and we are using that face authentication framework in almost every examination that we conduct.”
Transition to Computer-Based Testing (Cbt)
The NTA is systematically phasing out pen-and-paper examination formats in favour of Computer-Based Testing (CBT). Currently, examinations such as JEE, UGC NET, CUET, and NIFT are all conducted via CBT. The NEET examination, which is presently pen-and-paper, is also slated to transition to CBT very soon. “Our examinations are CBT except the NEET examination. And NEET will also be moving to CBT very soon,” Singh confirmed, adding that CBT is the future for all NTA examinations.
This shift to CBT requires augmenting testing infrastructure and building solid safeguards to ensure the integrity and security of the digital examination environment. Singh noted that this transition is a critical component of strengthening domestic systems earlier venturing into international services.
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Future of Cross-Border Examinations and Global Collaboration
After successfully strengthening its domestic systems, the NTA plans to pursue cross-border examinations. This next step involves conducting examinations for other global bodies, using the refined Indian framework. “Our try right now is to improve our systems so that we are able to conduct Indian examinations fairly and transparently without any malpractice or without any error or without the need of having any review of our own systems. Once we have strengthened our own domestic systems, then we will go for conducting examinations for other global bodies,” Abhishek Singh explained.
Singh also highlighted the global challenges in conducting examinations, referencing China’s Gaokao exam, known for its citywide security lockouts for paper-based tests. He suggested that there are multiple areas for countries to discuss, collaborate, and share knowledge, including question paper generation and fraud prevention. “Every examination will require the generation of question papers. So there are areas in which we can discuss with each other, collaborate and share knowledge,” he added.
BRICS Summit 2026 and India’s Role
The announcement was made during the 18th BRICS Summit, hosted by India in New Delhi from September 12–13, 2026. This year marked India’s fourth BRICS Chairship, having previously hosted in 2012, 2016, and 2021. Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended best wishes to China, which is scheduled to host the next BRICS summit in 2027.
BRICS Summit Hosting Schedule
| Year | Host Country |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Brazil |
| 2026 | India |
| 2027 | China |
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