New Delhi: Following the NEET-UG paper leak scandal, the National Testing AgencyTo CISF-Protected Premises (NTA) has moved its confidential operations to a new office in central Delhi and put the premises under the guard of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to strengthen security and avoid future lapses.
Over the past month, the agency has shifted sensitive work, including question-paper handling and other exam-critical tasks, to a dedicated space of more than 55,000 sq ft in the Government of India Press Building on Minto Road.
The NTA has been allotted the fifth floor and parts of the fourth and sixth floors, with certain areas marked as confidential zones where movement will be closely watched.
“A dedicated over 55,000 square feet office space has been allotted in the Government of India Press Building on Minto Road. The fifth floor and parts of fourth and sixth floor of the said building have been allotted to the National Testing Agency. Confidential and sensitive operations have been shifted in the last one month to the newly allotted building,” a senior official said.
CISF To Control Entry, Exit Points
Under the new arrangement, 39 CISF personnel will control entry and exit points at the building. They will carry out frisking, X-ray baggage checks and use Door Frame Metal Detectors (DFMDs) for all visitors and staff, as part of efforts to fix the security gaps exposed by the NEET leak, The New Indian Express reported.
“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.
The move comes after the CBI’s probe into the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak found that three subject experts were the main source of the leaked question paper. The agency had no frisking or checking of these experts when they entered or left the confidential section of its earlier office, allowing them to take out question briefs on small chits made from plain sheets meant for rough work and translation. There was also no dedicated CCTV live-feed monitoring control room, the CBI noted.
New Tech Steps To Secure Exams
Besides the tighter physical security, the NTA is also improving its digital systems and exam procedures. These steps follow the suggestions of a high-level committee led by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan, which gave 101 reforms after the 2024 NEET paper leak.
The agency will introduce stricter access rules, encryption, unchangeable logs and tamper-proof storage for important exam systems. Before each exam, it will also carry out security checks on biometric verification, face matching, CCTV and live monitoring.
A special cyber-incident response system for exams is being set up. This will include stronger monitoring through the Security Operations Centre (SOC) and quick-response teams on exam days. The NTA has also created the post of chief information security officer (CISO).
“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,” the official said.
