PM Modi Announces Exam Reform Task Force Led by Nandan Nilekani to Strengthen India’s Examination System

Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made an announcement regarding to establishing a new Exam Reform Task Force which will be chaired by Nandan Nilekani who is also a co-founder of the Infosys. This announcement was made as part of the government’s efforts to overcome the issues of paper leakage related to exams and to regain the people’s confidence in competitive exams. The committee was announced before the introduction of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. The main objective of the task force is to make recommendations regarding the new generation of the reform process aimed at enhancing the reliability, transparency, and tech adaptation of the examination system in the country.

PM Modi Unveils Exam Reform High-Powered Task Force

In a video message posted on Instagram and later on X, Prime Minister Modi announced this initiative, stressing the government’s commitment to ensuring students’ futures by establishing a trusted exam system through the task force’s recommendations.

According to the Prime Minister, the task force aims to,

• Improve transparency in the public exams.
• Increase usage of technology in invigilating exams.
• Stop any instance of exam paper leak.
• Ensure credibility and efficacy of examination system of the country.

PM Modi has also expressed hope that the government would act on the recommendations of the task force and will make exam system more reliable soon.

Why Was the Task Force Constituted?

The announcement has been made in connection with the repeated incidents of leaking of exam papers that have impacted millions of students across the country.

In the last two years, issues relating to the integrity of public examinations have led to various reforms being introduced by the Centre after the NEET-UG exam paper leak controversy.

The new task force created by the government is aimed at improving the examination ecosystem by using the technology, improving governance issues, and instituting structural safeguards against malpractices.

Public Examinations Amendment Bill, 2026

The task force was announced just right before the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 is anticipated to be presented in the Parliament.

The bill intends to,

• Increase the penalties for individuals associated with exam paper leaks.
• File tougher economic penalties.
• Make the legal provisions stricter to control organized examination fraud.
• Aid in speedy prosecution of offenders.

Members of the Task Force

The powerful committee brings together the several specialists from technology, education, science, security, and administration.

The members consist of the,

• Nandan Nilekani – Infosys Co-founder and Task Force Chairman
• Dr. S. Somnath – Former Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
• Tapan Deka – Former Head, Intelligence Bureau of India (IB)
• Prof. V. Kamakoti – Director, IIT Madras
• Anita Karwal – Former Secretary of Education
• Amrit Lal Meena – Expert in Logistics and Public Administration

Government’s Broader Push for Education Reforms

The task force is part of the broader efforts by the government to ensure the quality of the education system.

Among the most recent actions are the following the,

• Reforms of the National Testing Authority.
• Legal actions against persons suspected of cheating during examinations.
• Creation of the fast-track courts to deal with cases of leaking examination papers.
• Legislative changes to strengthen laws against cheating.

According to the PM Modi, these steps are needed to ensure that students are able to compete on a level playing field.