Nandan Nilekani to lead Modi govt's exam reform task force
UPSC / SSC current affairs note · Polity
Why in news
Nandan Nilekani has been appointed to head a new exam-reform task force by the Narendra Modi government, following widespread protests over exam leaks like NEET-UG. This appointment continues a pattern of governments calling on the technocrat for policy work, spanning both Congress and BJP administrations.
Background
Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys and founding chairman of UIDAI (Aadhaar), has previously served on an exam-related panel. In 2019, the Supreme Court constituted a seven-member panel chaired by Justice GS Singhvi (retd) that included Nilekani to investigate irregularities in the SSC CGL/CHSL 2017 exam. The panel submitted a report, but it was never made public, and a 2025 petition seeking its implementation was dismissed.
Key facts
Nandan Nilekani is the co-founder of Infosys and founding chairman of UIDAI (Aadhaar).
He was appointed to head the Modi government's new exam-reform task force on July 26, 2026.
The appointment follows the NEET-UG leak in May 2026, which led to mass protests and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Nilekani previously served on a Supreme Court-constituted panel (2019) chaired by Justice GS Singhvi to investigate irregularities in the SSC CGL/CHSL 2017 exam.
The Singhvi panel submitted a report, but it was never made public; a 2025 petition seeking its implementation was dismissed.
Nilekani served as founding chairman of UIDAI from 2009 to 2014, with cabinet minister rank.
He studied electrical engineering at IIT Bombay and co-founded Infosys in 1981.
He served as Infosys CEO from 2002 to 2007 and has chaired its board in various capacities.
Prelims pointers
- Nandan Nilekani: co-founder of Infosys, founding chairman of UIDAI
- UIDAI: Unique Identification Authority of India, established under Planning Commission in 2009
- Aadhaar: national identity number project
- Justice GS Singhvi panel: 7-member committee on SSC exam irregularities (2019)
- SSC CGL/CHSL 2017 exam: Staff Selection Commission exams
- NEET-UG: National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for undergraduate medical courses
- Dharmendra Pradhan: resigned as Education Minister in 2026 after NEET-UG leak
- Cockroach Janta Party: protest group mentioned in context of exam leak protests
Mains angles
- Examine the role of technocrats in government policy reforms, with reference to Nandan Nilekani's appointments across different regimes.
- Discuss the challenges in conducting fair examinations in India and the effectiveness of reform committees.
- Analyze the impact of exam leaks on public trust and the political response, including ministerial resignations and task force formation.