PIB fact check: NTA not private organisation

NEW DELHI: The Press Information Bureau (PIB) fact-check unit on Wednesday, June 27, debunked misinformation claiming that NTA is a private organization and not covered under the RTI Act.

PIB confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that NTA does fall under the provisions of the RTI Act. Furthermore, key positions such as the Director-General and the Governing Body of NTA are appointed by the central government.

“It is being claimed that NTA is a private organisation and it does not come under the RTI Act #PIBFactCheck   This claim is #Fake  @NTA_Exams is within the purview of RTI. DG, NTA and Governing Body are appointed by Government of India.”

It is being claimed that NTA is a private organisation and it does not come under the RTI Act#PIBFactCheck

▶️ This claim is #Fake

▶️ @NTA_Exams is within the purview of RTI. DG, NTA and Governing Body are appointed by Government of India. pic.twitter.com/SYUpEgeMUO

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) June 26, 2024

The clarification came after Pankaj Pachauri, a journalist and founder of GoNews, posted on X (formerly Twitter), where he stated that the NTA is a privately registered society under the Societies Registration Act. Pachauri voiced apprehensions about the implications of the NTA’s private status, suggesting it could result in inadequate public oversight and accountability, especially in light of controversies surrounding the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET). He pointed out that the NTA has not released any RTI responses since December 2020, which is legally required to maintain transparency.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is currently embroiled in controversy following the NEET paper leak, resulting in the arrest of several suspects from Bihar and ongoing investigations involving Maharashtra. The case has now been handed over to the CBI.

Bihar police have blamed NTA for delays in the investigation, citing the agency’s failure to provide sample papers on time. Additionally, exams for UGC-NET and CSIR-UGC-NET, also conducted by NTA, have been postponed, further intensifying the controversy. Earlier, NTA refuted allegations of website compromise or hacking on X, stating, “The NTA website and all its web portals are fully secure. Any claims of compromise or hacking are incorrect and misleading.”