NTA Faces Major Staff Shortage Despite Conducting India's Largest Competitive Exams
Government informs Rajya Sabha that the National Testing Agency has only 24 permanent employees despite handling over 6.6 crore registrations since 2018.
The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts some of India's biggest entrance examinations, is facing a significant staff shortage, according to information shared by the Central Government in the Rajya Sabha.
The government informed the Upper House that the NTA has processed more than 6.6 crore registrations and conducted over 270 competitive examinations since its establishment in 2018. These include major national-level exams such as NEET-UG, JEE, and UGC-NET.
Despite its massive workload, the agency currently has only 24 permanent employees, while 197 personnel are engaged through contractual or outsourced arrangements.
According to the Ministry of Education, 39 permanent posts have been sanctioned in the NTA, but only 24 are currently occupied. The sanctioned positions include the Director General, two Joint Secretaries, eight Directors, six Joint Directors and Research Scientists, three Deputy Directors, two Assistant Directors, and two Senior Superintendents.
The data also reveals that the agency relies heavily on contractual staff rather than permanent appointments. At present, 73 employees are working on a contract basis, including 44 consultants, 17 young professionals, five senior consultants, three advisers, and one senior software developer. In addition, 124 personnel are employed through outsourcing.
The Ministry of Education also informed Parliament that 16 new posts have recently been filled as part of efforts to strengthen the agency's workforce.
The disclosure comes amid continued scrutiny of the NTA's functioning, given its responsibility for conducting high-stakes examinations for millions of students across the country.
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