NTA Reports Earnings of ₹1,065.38 Crore from Fees in 2023-2024

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has recently been in the spotlight due to controversies surrounding exam cancellations, alleged irregularities, and paper leaks. These issues have escalated to discussions in Parliament and the Supreme Court, raising questions about the agency’s operational and financial practices.

Financial Overview of NTA

In a recent session in the Lok Sabha on July 31, Vivek K Tankha, a Congress Rajya Sabha member, raised concerns about the financial earnings of NTA. He inquired about the total revenue generated from application fees and other services since the agency’s inception. In response, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, revealed the following financial details:

• Net Fee Income for 2023–2024: ₹1,065.38 crore
• Projected Expenses for 2023–2024: ₹1,020.35 crore

NTA is self-supported through the fees collected from various examinations. Since its establishment, the agency has conducted over 240 tests with more than 5.4 crore applicants. The introduction of CUET UG and PG exams in 2022 led to a significant increase in revenue and expenditure:

• Fee Income Increase: From ₹494.46 crore in 2021–2022 to ₹873.20 crore in 2022–2023

Operational and Security Measures

Dr. Majumdar emphasized the rigorous operational and security measures implemented by NTA to ensure the smooth and fair conduct of competitive exams. These measures include:

• Biometric Collection: To verify the identity of candidates
• CCTV Monitoring: To oversee exam environments and prevent malpractice
• AI Analysis: To detect potential impersonation and other irregularities

These precautions are intended to maintain the integrity of the examination process.

Organizational Structure

NTA operates under the Central Staffing Scheme and is led by a Director General appointed by the Central Government. The agency’s workforce includes:

• 22 Employees on Deputation
• 39 Contractual Staff
• 132 Outsourced Staff Members

The agency’s structure aims to support its extensive examination processes and ensure adherence to security protocols.

Recent Developments

The controversy surrounding the NEET UG 2024 paper leak and subsequent exam cancellations has heightened scrutiny of NTA’s operational effectiveness. With the cancellation of several major exams, including UGC NET, CSIR UGC NET, and NCET, and the postponement of the CUET UG 2024 results, concerns have been raised about the agency’s ability to manage its responsibilities effectively.