The Future of National Level Exams in India

At the ThinkEdu Conclave 2025, Prof. Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), spoke about the future of national-level entrance exams in India. He emphasized the need for a single national exam system to ensure fairness and transparency.

Currently, students in India take multiple entrance exams like JEE, NEET, GATE, CUET, and UGC-NET. With the number of test-takers increasing from 60 lakh in 2018 to 1.2 crore now, Prof. Kumar predicted that this number will rise even more in the coming years. The challenge, he said, is to make exams student-friendly and error-free.

A Unified Exam System?

Prof. Kumar acknowledged that conducting national exams is a major logistical challenge. However, he suggested that the National Testing Agency (NTA) should be strengthened so that all universities can use its tests for admissions. Students could choose subjects based on their courses whether it’s engineering, medicine, science, or humanities. He highlighted that 280 universities already use CUET for admissions, with more joining in.

Prof. S Vaidhyasubramaniam, Vice-Chancellor of SASTRA University, called these entrance exams “national assets” and proposed a single standardized exam for all universities. Prof. Kumar agreed but suggested an adaptive testing model. In this system, students would get different question papers, with difficulty levels changing based on their answers. This way, exams would test actual learning instead of just memorization.

Reducing the Pressure of Coaching Centers

Many students rely on expensive coaching centers because entrance exams are often much harder than school exams. Prof. Kumar explained that CUET-UG was designed to match Class 12 board exam difficulty so that students could prepare without extra coaching.

He also stressed that testing agencies must be strengthened to prevent cheating and errors. Using advanced technology and trained professionals, he believes, will build trust in the exam system.

Preparing Students for Success

Prof. Kumar highlighted that success in academics isn’t just about intelligence—it’s about discipline and planning. Schools should teach students how to make study plans and stick to them, helping them overcome exam stress and fear of failure.

He also pointed out that parents often pressure students into engineering and medicine, but they should allow them to explore other fields.

NEP 2020: A Step Towards Inclusive Education

Speaking about the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Prof. Kumar said it focuses on equal access to education for all. He shared an example of a university working with a tribal community to develop start-ups using local resources. He encouraged more universities to work closely with their communities and help students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

He emphasized that true educational success is not just about university rankings but about helping students build careers and contribute to society. Universities should not only provide jobs but also inspire students to develop new technologies and innovations.

In the end, his message was clear: Exams should be fair, accessible, and focused on real learning, not just rote memorization. With the right reforms, the future of education in India could be brighter and more inclusive for all students.

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