The Government of India has set up a High-Powered Task Force (HPTF), led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, to recommend a sweeping overhaul of how the country conducts public examinations — and this includes the National Testing Agency (NTA), the body that runs NEET-UG every year. Rather than working behind closed doors, the task force has opened a public consultation, inviting students, parents, teachers, coaching institutions and technology experts to submit ideas on everything from exam security to how well the system serves students in remote areas or regional languages. For the lakhs of NEET aspirants who sit through a high-stakes, single-day national exam each year, this is a rare chance to directly flag problems they have faced — paper leaks, centre allotment issues, language-medium confusion, or grievance redressal delays — to the people shaping the next version of the system. The consultation closes on September 13, 2026, and can be accessed online, by phone, by WhatsApp or by email.
NEET-UG aspirants and parents can directly submit suggestions to the Nilekani-led task force on NTA and exam reforms before September 13, 2026, and any resulting changes could affect how future NEET-UG exams are conducted, secured and administered.
Why this matters to a NEET aspirant
NEET-UG is conducted by the NTA, and this task force was formed specifically to examine the conduct, security, design and governance of examinations run by bodies like the NTA. In recent years, NEET-UG has faced scrutiny over issues such as paper security, grace-mark controversies, and centre-level irregularities, all of which have directly affected admission timelines for MBBS and BDS seats.
A task force of this scale — chaired by a figure as prominent as Nandan Nilekani — signals that structural changes to how NEET-UG (and other national entrance exams) is designed, secured and monitored could follow. Aspirants preparing for NEET in 2027 or later may eventually sit an exam shaped by whatever recommendations come out of this process.
What the task force is looking at
The consultation covers a wide range of themes relevant to any large-scale entrance exam like NEET-UG. Understanding these helps aspirants frame useful, specific feedback rather than vague complaints.
- Exam conduct and security — including prevention of paper leaks and malpractice
- Exam design and assessment methodology — how questions are set and evaluated
- Governance and accountability of exam-conducting bodies like the NTA
- Use of technology, including secure computer-based testing
- Building and upgrading exam infrastructure (centres, systems)
- Making exams more inclusive across social, economic, regional and linguistic lines
- Transparency, grievance redressal and communication with candidates
- Student well-being before, during and after the exam process
Who can submit suggestions, and how
The task force has kept the process open and simple, allowing submissions in English, Hindi and other regional languages through multiple channels. This is meant to be genuinely accessible to students and families, not just institutions and experts.
- Website: examreforms-taskforce.dopt.gov.in
- Phone: 1800-180-4747
- WhatsApp: send the message 'hptf' to +91 78270 42830
- Email: ExamReformsTaskforce@dopt.gov.in
- Last date to submit: September 13, 2026
What NEET aspirants and parents could raise
Since the consultation explicitly invites students and parents, this is a practical moment to flag concrete, exam-day experiences rather than general opinions. Specific, well-described issues are more likely to be useful to a task force sifting through large volumes of feedback.
Examples worth considering: difficulties faced with NEET centre allocation or travel distance, confusion around regional-language question papers, delays in grievance resolution after past NEET-UG controversies, and requests for clearer real-time communication from the NTA during and after the exam.
What to watch next
This is a consultation stage, not an announcement of confirmed changes to NEET-UG. The task force will use the inputs gathered to formulate recommendations to the government, and any actual reform to NTA's structure or NEET-UG's conduct would follow later, likely with its own separate announcement and timeline.
Aspirants should not expect any changes to the 2027 NEET-UG exam pattern, dates or eligibility as a direct result of this consultation alone. MedAdmit will track and report on any formal recommendations or policy changes once the task force submits its findings.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
Does this task force affect NEET-UG 2026 or 2027 directly?
Not immediately. This is a public consultation feeding into recommendations the task force will later give the government. No changes to NEET-UG's exam pattern, dates or process have been announced as a result of this exercise yet.
Who is Nandan Nilekani in this context?
He is the head (chair) of the High-Powered Task Force (HPTF) set up by the Government of India to recommend reforms to public examinations, including those run by the NTA.
Can a NEET aspirant or their parent submit feedback?
Yes. The consultation is explicitly open to students, candidates, parents and teachers, along with institutions and experts, through the website, phone helpline, WhatsApp number or email listed by the task force.
What is the deadline to send suggestions?
September 13, 2026.
What topics can suggestions cover?
Exam security and conduct, exam design and assessment, governance of bodies like the NTA, use of technology such as secure computer-based testing, infrastructure, inclusivity for different regions and languages, transparency, grievance redressal and student well-being.
Will this replace the NTA?
The source does not state that the NTA will be replaced. The task force is reviewing the broader public examination system, including how NTA-conducted exams like NEET-UG are governed and secured, but no decision on restructuring has been announced.
If you have faced a specific problem with NEET-UG — whether related to centre allotment, exam-day security, language of the question paper, or post-exam grievance handling — this consultation is a direct channel to raise it before September 13, 2026. MedAdmit will continue to follow this task force's progress and report on any concrete recommendations that could shape future NEET-UG cycles.
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