NTA office security handed over to CISF:Move follows NEET paper leak, sensitive areas to see tighter surveillance

Following the controversy over the NEET-UG paper leak and administrative lapses during the examination, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has shifted its operations to a new office. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will now provide security at the premises. Strict monitoring will be maintained over the movement of people and activities, particularly in the office’s confidential and sensitive areas. According to a senior official, the NTA has been allotted more than 55,000 square feet of space at the Government of India Press building on Minto Road. The NTA has been given the fifth floor and parts of the fourth and sixth floors. Over the past one month, the NTA’s confidential and sensitive operations have been shifted to the new building. 39 CISF personnel deployed The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved CISF security for the NTA campus. For now, 39 CISF personnel have been deployed. They will be responsible for security, access control and screening. X-ray baggage scanners and door-frame metal detectors (DFMDs) will be used to screen people at the entry and exit points. CISF personnel will be deployed at all necessary entry and exit points to control access to NTA’s restricted areas. CISO appointed at NTA To strengthen information security, the NTA has designated a post for a chief information security officer (CISO). The recruitment process for the general manager and CISO posts is under way, and the selection is reportedly in its final stage. In addition, independent third-party cybersecurity audits through agencies accredited by CERT-In and C-DAC are also under way. Major security lapse exposed in NEET paper leak According to the CBI chargesheet, three subject experts were identified as the main source of the paper leak in the case. The investigation found that there was no checking or frisking system when experts entered or left the NTA’s secret section. It is alleged that the experts wrote excerpts from the question paper on small pieces of paper taken from the sheets provided for rough work and translation, and carried them out. The CBI also stated that the NTA office did not have a separate control room to monitor the live CCTV feed and keep watch over activities in the confidential section.
Focus now also on CCTV and cyber security Confidential areas have been separately designated at the new office. The movement of people and activities will be strictly monitored here. Strict access controls, encryption, secure logging and tamper-evident storage systems are being prepared for critical digital systems linked to the examinations. Security will be reviewed before every examination. This will also include the technical security of biometric authentication, face-matching, CCTV and live-monitoring systems. NTA is also preparing a separate cyber-incident response system for the examination days. Under this system, monitoring by the Security Operations Centre (SOC) will be strengthened and arrangements will be made for immediate action in the event of a cyber incident.