Trust biggest challenge in tackling leaks: IIT-Madras director V. Kamakoti
IIT-Madras Director V. Kamakoti said “trust” and clear organisational accountability are central to preventing exam leaks and reforming the National Testing Agency (NTA).
- NTA conducts national-level entrance exams for students in India.
- Exam leak is when question papers or related content get shared before the exam.
- Leak risk can arise at multiple steps, including question generation and exam centre administration.
- Generative AI may help draft questions or translations, but humans must check for correctness before use.
What happened
IIT-Madras Director V. Kamakoti said that the biggest challenge in preventing exam leaks is “trust” in the National Testing Agency (NTA) examination process. He was quoted as part of a multidisciplinary panel tasked with overhauling the NTA after the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.
Kamakoti argued for reforms that cover the full examination pipeline, not just one stage. He emphasised that trusted question setters are essential and that every part of the examination hierarchy—from question generation to exam centre administration—should be accountable through a clear organisational structure.
UPSC can frame NTA reforms around governance of exam processes—how to build trust in question setting and administration through accountable structures, and how to use AI support without weakening human verification.
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