Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys and chair of a government task force on examination reforms, suggested using AI to generate exam papers at the last minute to prevent leaks. Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2026 in New Delhi, Nilekani said this approach could eliminate the economic incentive behind paper leaks, referencing the recent NEET exam controversy. He was appointed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July to lead reforms following widespread protests and the resignation of the education minister, with a three-month deadline for his report, according to medianama.com.
Nilekani explained that the solution involves creating a massive question bank from which AI would generate the exam paper on the day of the test. This method aims to remove the fixed question paper, which he identified as the root cause of leaks and the associated economic incentives. The task force was formed after the NEET exam paper leak became public, leading to significant unrest. Nilekani’s proposal was part of a broader discussion on examination reforms at the forum, where he emphasized the potential of AI to address systemic issues in the current process, medianama.com reported.
The NEET exam leak had triggered protests at Jantar Mantar and led to the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Nilekani’s suggestion to use AI-generated papers is a significant policy response to these challenges, aiming to enhance exam security and integrity. This approach could set a precedent for other large-scale exams in India, where paper leaks have been a recurring problem. The idea aligns with broader digital reforms in India, leveraging technology to improve governance and public services, as Nilekani has done previously with Aadhaar and UPI, according to medianama.com.
Nilekani was given three months starting July 28 to submit his report on examination reforms. The task force’s recommendations, including the AI-generated question paper proposal, are expected to influence India’s approach to conducting secure and fair exams nationwide, as detailed by medianama.com.