Overview
- The National Testing Agency has formally tasked the All India Council for Technical Education to collect detailed IT, power, surveillance, staffing and space data from AICTE-approved government institutes for use as Standard Testing Centres.
- AICTE has sent a questionnaire that asks colleges to list functional computer nodes, processor and OS specs, LAN cabling and switch capacity, primary and backup ISP links, server/rack space, and CCTV coverage.
- Institutes must also report power backup capacity, active maintenance contracts and on-call technical support, staff strength and weekend availability, plus the feasibility of converting vacant ground-floor space into exam labs.
- AICTE limited the audit to government-owned, AICTE-approved institutions and officials said CBT centres will be government-run after strict assessment rather than outsourced to small private providers.
- The audit is a near-term readiness check ahead of the 2027 shift to CBT after this year’s NEET paper leak and re-run, and gaps in capacity could force upgrades or limit the number of secure test sites available next year.