NTA Confirmed it is Covered by The RTI Act Despite Allegations It Is a Private Organization

In the midst of the controversy over purported anomalies in the NEET UG medical entrance exam and the cancellation of UGC-NET, parents and students have called for the National Testing Agency (NTA) to be abolished. It was recently asserted on social media that the NTA is a private organization exempt from the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Through a post on X, the NTA has elucidated its stance in reaction to allegations making the rounds on the internet.

“The National Testing Agency (NTA) has been established as an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions in the nation, in accordance with the Budget Announcement 2017–18 (Para 52) and the Union Cabinet’s subsequent approval in its meeting held on 10–11-2017. Thus, NTA has been officially recognized as a Society under the Societies (Registration) Act, 1860, with Registration No. S/ND/914/2018, dated May 15, 2018,” the National Testing Agency announced in a post on X.

“Originally, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) asked NTA to administer such exams in accordance with Government of India Order F. No. 35-5/2017-TS.1 dated 05-09-2018. Exams are administered by NTA per directive from the government or other relevant authorities. For instance, the University Grants Commission is the organization that administers the CUET (UG) and CUET (PG) exams. NTA is a Public Authority covered by the RTI Act, 2005.” NTA added one more thing.

The NTA is a private organization and is not governed by the Right to Information (RTI) Act, according to a previous social media post. The certificate of establishment of the NTA under the Societies Registration Act on X was posted by senior journalist Pankaj Pachauri, who said, “It is shocking to learn that the NTA is a private society deciding the future of students for publicly funded government institutions.” Absence of information, public oversight, and accountability result from not being subject to RTI. This enables the ministry and the government to distance themselves from the fraud.”

The issue surrounding the NEET UG and UGC NET exams has led to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filing a criminal case on Sunday to look into claims of anomalies in the NTA’s examination. The NEET (UG) 2024 exam, which was administered on 5th May  2024, in a few states, is the subject of the investigation. In connection with this case, the CBI on Thursday detained Manish Prakash and Ashutosh in Patna.