The National Testing Agency (NTA) is developing an artificial intelligence-enabled helpline to answer students’ queries about competitive examinations, including the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET).
The toll-free number, 1800 180 47 47, is being repurposed as a student help desk. The service is currently undergoing testing, and the NTA has not announced a public launch date.
The AI feature is expected to let students ask questions in their preferred language and receive answers drawn from information available in the NTA’s database. Queries could cover examination dates, application forms, fees, required documents, deadlines and eligibility criteria.
“Students sometimes face difficulties navigating websites, and there are also language barriers for regional students. So, this feature is believed to help students in the pre-examination process,” government officials.
Why is the NTA introducing the helpline?
The number was initially set up to collect public feedback for the High Powered Task Force on examination reforms, led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani. The task force invited students, educators and other stakeholders to submit suggestions on improving the examination system, with September 13 set as the deadline.
With the consultation phase over and the task force working on its final report, the number was no longer being used for that purpose. The government has decided to repurpose it for the NTA’s help desk.
The NTA’s official tender page also lists a request for proposals to select an agency to provide a “Comprehensive AI Enabled Call/Contact Centre at NTA”. This confirms that the agency is pursuing an AI-enabled contact centre, although the tender listing alone does not establish that the student helpline is operational.
What will students be able to ask?
The proposed service is intended to answer routine questions that candidates face before examinations. These include:
When will JEE or UGC-NET be held?
How should candidates complete an application form?
What is the examination fee?
Which documents are required?
What is the application deadline?
What are the eligibility criteria?
The system is expected to respond using information stored in the NTA’s backend. Support in multiple languages could help candidates who find it difficult to navigate English-language websites or understand examination instructions.
However, the reported scope is limited to examination-related information. There is no confirmation that the helpline will handle complex grievances, correct application errors, resolve payment disputes or replace the NTA’s existing support channels.
How does this fit into the NTA’s examination reforms?
The initiative comes as the NTA faces pressure to improve the conduct and credibility of national entrance examinations following controversies surrounding examination security, including the NEET-UG paper leak allegations and subsequent student protests.
The government constituted the Nilekani-led task force to examine ways to strengthen the examination system. The panel has been collecting suggestions on examination security, technology, infrastructure, transparency and grievance redressal. The proposed AI helpline addresses one part of this wider exercise: communication between the testing agency and candidates.
A multilingual help desk could make routine information easier to access, particularly during application and registration periods when students need quick answers about deadlines and documentation. Its effectiveness will depend on the accuracy of the information it provides, how well it handles questions in different languages and whether candidates can reach a human representative when the system cannot resolve a query.
