Educator and YouTuber Faizal Khan, widely recognised as Khan Sir, shared his views on the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the alleged irregularities in competitive exams at the ABP Network's Ideas of India 2025. This was stated in a report by ABP Live.
Speaking at a session themed The 21st Century Indian: Learning to Survive, the educator, social worker, and founder of Khan Global Studies and Khan Research Centre was questioned by author Chetan Bhagat about paper leaks and the role of the NTA in these exams.
"An authority has been created to conduct tests across India. Many individuals within this system have access to exam papers. If irregularities occur in 10 per cent of the 30,000 available seats and a single paper is being sold for as much as Rs 30-50 lakh, that translates to an income of Rs 1,000-1,500 crore. This might not appear as a large-scale scam like the Commonwealth Games, but in reality, it could be even bigger. So, isn't there a high chance of a paper leak?" Chetan Bhagat asked Khan.
Responding to this, Khan Sir criticised the centralised nature of exams conducted by the NTA. "I don’t understand one thing. Our Constitution favours a federal structure and emphasises decentralisation of power. Then why are we centralising the examination process? On one hand, you say decentralisation is necessary to govern the country effectively, yet on the other, you centralise exams and risk students' futures by creating an agency like the NTA. Have you ever considered what would happen if this agency encounters an issue?" he said.
He elaborated on how a single individual’s morality could be compromised in such a system. "A student studying in AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) does so for free, while someone pursuing an MBBS degree in a private institution may have to spend around Rs 2 crore. In such a scenario, one might think it is better to pay Rs 50 lakh for an exam paper and secure admission to a government medical college rather than spend Rs 2 crore on a private institution with a lesser reputation," he argued.
Khan pointed out that those in power could be tempted by the financial incentives, fueling the paper leak cycle. "If someone can sell one paper for Rs 50 lakh, they might be tempted to sell it to more people given the massive profits," he added.
As a solution, the educator emphasised reducing the fee gap between government and private colleges and increasing the number of seats in government institutions.
"Or if you want to continue with this system, then at least be transparent — officially declare an open rate for seats, allowing both meritorious students and those from wealthy families to secure admissions. This is still better than the current system of paper leaks," he said.
Khan Sir, based in Patna, Bihar, is known for his coaching institutes under Khan Global Studies, which prepare students for competitive exams such as UPSC (Union Public Service Commission), state PSC, NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test), JEE (Joint Entrance Examination), SSC (Staff Selection Commission), and defence and railway exams. His institutes operate in Patna’s Musallahpur Hat and Boring Road, as well as in Prayagraj, Dehradun, and Delhi’s Karol Bagh and Mukherjee Nagar.
