Last-minute question generation can stop paper leaks, says Nandan Nilekani

Generating question papers at the last minute from a large question bank can remove the economic incentive behind exam leaks. Infosys chairman and head of the high-powered task force on examination reforms Nandan Nilekani stated this on Tuesday while speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi.

Task Force and Reforms

The central government formed the six-member high-powered task force on July 27 with a three-month mandate. This panel was set up after the National Testing Agency cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination on May 12, following protests over matched questions and a leak where papers were sold for prices ranging from 25,000 rupees to 25 lakh rupees. Nilekani also proposed expanding computer-based testing infrastructure across the country, noting that the existing 150,000 test locations need to be increased. When asked about artificial intelligence creating papers on the test day, he responded with affirmation, adding that these issues are solvable through systemic technology use.

Context

Exam leaks in major national entrance tests pose severe challenges for millions of students across India who compete for limited university seats. Moving toward digital testing formats and dynamic question generation aims to reduce the physical supply chain vulnerabilities that traditional paper exams rely on.