Photo: IANS
New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) is overhauling its panel of question-paper setters by introducing a four-stage selection process for subject experts. The agency has removed around 600 experts from its existing panel as part of a broader revamp of its examination system.
Under the new framework, applicants will have to undergo checks covering their academic qualifications, experience in setting examination papers, employment history, integrity and potential conflicts of interest before being empanelled.
The revised system will subject prospective question-paper setters to successive levels of scrutiny rather than selecting experts solely on the basis of their academic credentials, NDTV reported.
Stage 1: Eligibility and Document Verification
The first stage will involve scrutiny of applications and supporting documents. The NTA will verify candidates' eligibility, educational qualifications and professional experience.
Applicants will be required to provide identity documents such as Aadhaar and PAN, along with details of their education and employment. Those currently employed will also have to submit a No Objection Certificate from their employer. Declarations relating to confidentiality and conflicts of interest will also be required.
Stage 2: Subject-Expert Assessment
Candidates who clear the initial documentation process will be evaluated by subject committees constituted by the NTA.
The committees will assess applicants on the basis of their academic background, research credentials, previous experience in preparing examination papers and subject knowledge. The objective will be to determine whether candidates possess the expertise needed to contribute to question paper preparation for specific examinations.
Stage 3: Background Verification
Passing the subject assessment will not automatically guarantee empanelment. The NTA will conduct a separate background verification covering the candidate's academic and employment records.
The agency will also scrutinise declarations relating to integrity and conflicts of interest before making a final decision.
Stage 4: Three-Year Empanelment
Experts who successfully complete all four stages will be included in the NTA's subject-expert panel. Their empanelment will be linked to specific subjects, examination levels and categories of examination-related work.
The empanelment will remain valid for three years, provided the expert performs satisfactorily and continues to meet the prescribed requirements. The NTA will retain the authority to terminate an expert's empanelment before the completion of the three-year period if the prescribed conditions are violated, subject to appropriate notice.
Subject experts play a key role in preparing question papers for the NTA's national-level examinations. The agency conducts 10 major entrance examinations annually, with several of them being held across multiple shifts.
Empanelled experts are assigned question-paper preparation responsibilities based on the examination and the specific role they are selected for. Their engagement generally lasts between seven and 15 days, for which they are paid approximately Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000 a year.