After NEET paper leak, NTA tightens security at new office: 39 CISF personnel deployed, confidential areas under strict monitoring

The National Testing Agency (NTA), which shifted its operations to a new office following the controversy over the NEET-UG paper leak and administrative lapses, will now have CISF security at its premises. The move is aimed at strengthening security and access controls in the agency's confidential areas, officials said.

CISF Security At NTA's New Office

The NTA has shifted its confidential and sensitive operations from its earlier office in Okhla to a newly allotted 55,000-square-foot space at the Government of India Press Building on Minto Road.

The fifth floor and parts of the fourth and sixth floors have been allotted to the testing agency. According to officials, confidential operations were moved to the new premises over the past month.


"Confidential areas have been demarcated in the building where the movement and operations will be strictly monitored to ensure that a foolproof system is in place. The Home Ministry has approved Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) security cover for the premises," the official said.

A total of 39 CISF personnel have been deployed at the premises. Their responsibilities include security, access control and screening at entry and exit points.

The security measures will include frisking as well as screening through X-ray baggage screening machines and Door Frame Metal Detectors (DFMDs).

NEET Paper Leak Exposed Security Lapses

The move comes after the NEET-UG paper leak triggered nationwide protests and raised questions over security arrangements at the NTA.

According to a CBI chargesheet, three subject experts identified as primary sources of the leaked paper were allegedly able to take handwritten notes from the question papers because there was no checking or frisking of experts while entering or leaving the confidential section.

The chargesheet also noted that the NTA office did not have a dedicated CCTV live-feed monitoring control room. This meant the activities of the three accused experts went unnoticed.

NTA To Strengthen Examination Security

The government had earlier set up a high-level committee headed by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan to recommend measures to strengthen examination security.

The committee recommended tighter security controls for critical examination systems, including question paper management, candidate registration, admit cards, computer-based testing, OMR processing, result systems and other technology platforms.

Following the 2026 paper leak, the Supreme Court also reprimanded the NTA, saying "it has not learnt its lessons".

The agency is now working on tighter access controls, stronger encryption, tamper-evident storage and immutable logging for systems linked to examinations.

Officials said security readiness reviews of examination-supporting systems will also be conducted before each examination cycle. These reviews will cover areas such as biometric authentication, face matching, CCTV systems and live monitoring infrastructure.

NTA Strengthens Cybersecurity Measures

The NTA is also preparing an examination-specific cyber-incident response system for exam days, with enhanced security monitoring and rapid-response capabilities.

"To strengthen information security, the NTA has designated a dedicated chief information security officer (CISO). The position of general manager and CISO has been advertised, and the selection process is at an advanced stage. Independent third party cyber-security audits by CERT-In and C-DAC empanelled agencies continue to be undertaken," the official added.

[With PTI inputs]