The National Testing Agency (NTA) is studying China’s Gaokao examination system as it works to position India’s own testing framework as a “digital public good” for other countries. NTA Director General Abhishek Singh made the remarks in an interview with ANI on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit, held in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026. Singh said the agency wants to strengthen its domestic examination systems first, then explore knowledge-sharing and technology cooperation with BRICS nations, including China.
Key Highlights
- NTA Director General Abhishek Singh discussed exam-system cooperation with ANI during the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi (September 12-13, 2026).
- Singh referred to China’s Gaokao, the National College Entrance Examination, as a large-scale paper-based exam that requires cities to reroute traffic and tighten security during testing.
- NTA aims to turn India’s examination framework into a “digital public good” that BRICS countries and others could adopt.
- Singh said domestic reforms come first: eliminating errors and malpractice before any cross-border rollout.
- NTA already uses Aadhaar-based facial authentication for candidate verification in most of its exams.
- AI tools are being used for fraud detection and exam-data analytics.
- Major NTA exams, including JEE Main, CUET, UGC NET and NIFT, are conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode; NEET-UG remains pen-and-paper but will move to CBT soon.
- India holds the BRICS chairship for 2026; China will host the bloc’s summit in 2027.
Why NTA Is Looking at China’s Gaokao
Abhishek Singh described the Gaokao as a “parent paper examination” that still relies heavily on physical logistics. He noted that Chinese authorities shut down sections of cities, restrict noise, and deploy heavy security to run the exam smoothly each year.
He said every country faces similar challenges in conducting large-scale, high-stakes exams. “There are multiple ways every country faces this challenge,” Singh said, adding that this creates room for nations to “discuss with each other, collaborate and share knowledge” on exam administration and question-paper generation.
Domestic Reforms Before Global Expansion
Abhishek Singh was clear that NTA’s international ambitions depend on first fixing systems at home. He said the priority is to “conduct examinations without any error and in a completely fair manner” within India before offering any framework to other countries.
Cross-border cooperation, he said, is “the next step,” not an immediate plan. The agency has faced scrutiny in recent years over exam security and paper leaks, and Singh’s comments suggest NTA sees domestic credibility as a precondition for any global role.
Technology Already Deployed
NTA has rolled out several technology measures to tighten exam security and verification:
Aadhaar-based facial authentication is now used in nearly every NTA-conducted exam to confirm candidate identity and prevent impersonation. Singh said this system has addressed a long-standing verification problem.
AI is being applied for fraud prevention and to analyse exam-related data, part of a broader push to detect irregularities before and during test administration.
Most major NTA exams, including JEE Main, CUET, UGC NET and NIFT, already run on Computer-Based Testing. NEET-UG remains the exception, still conducted on paper, but Singh said it will shift to CBT “very soon,” without specifying an exact timeline.
The BRICS Angle
Abhishek Singh’s comments came during a year in which India holds the BRICS chairship, with the 18th summit hosted in New Delhi. China takes over hosting duties for the 2027 summit.
NTA’s vision is for India’s testing infrastructure, covering exam security, technology systems and administrative processes, to eventually be offered as a shared resource for BRICS countries navigating similar exam-scale challenges. Singh did not announce any signed agreement or formal cooperation framework with China or other BRICS members; the statements describe an aspiration under study rather than a finalised program.
