Tech leader proposes AI-driven exam system to prevent question leaks

Proposal For Test Reform

Technology expert Nandan Nilekani has suggested using artificial intelligence to create test papers on the exact day of an examination to stop question paper leaks. Speaking in New Delhi on October 13, he recommended building a large pool of questions and using AI for same-day generation, which would remove any reason for someone to sell an advance copy of the paper. This suggestion follows the cancellation of this year's NEET-UG medical entrance test due to a paper leak, an incident that triggered widespread protests and the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in July. Nilekani leads an examination reforms committee tasked with addressing these challenges, and he noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is eager to adopt its recommendations. The panel is also reviewing potential changes for the National Testing Agency, while the Supreme Court has previously heard petitions regarding moving major tests online and ensuring data security.

Global Examination Models

Countries around the world use very different systems to manage high-stakes tests. In China and South Korea, paper exams held annually rely on strict physical isolation for question writers. China's gaokao uses teams of teachers sequestered in secure facilities with no phones until the test ends, printing papers in secure locations like prisons and moving them in guarded vehicles to centers equipped with steel rooms and surveillance. South Korea's Suneung sequestered about 500 writers at an undisclosed site from October 7 until November 13, and even paused local aircraft take-offs for 35 minutes during the English listening test on exam day. Conversely, computer-based assessments in other regions draw on pre-tested question banks. American tests like the SAT and the MCAT use extensive expert reviews and multi-stage testing models, such as adaptive software where later modules adjust based on a student's performance. The UK relies on university admissions services and board-reviewed A-levels alongside subject tests like the UCAT, while Finland uses a fully computerized matriculation exam managed by a dedicated board and secure software setups.

Context

Test security remains a central challenge for education systems handling millions of applicants for limited university seats. While computer-based testing and dynamic question generation can reduce physical paper handling risks, shifting massive national exams online requires extensive infrastructure and robust cybersecurity. Different nations continue to balance traditional paper-and-pen security methods with digital alternatives to maintain fairness.