Nandan Nilekani to Spearhead Task-force on Exam Reforms: 5 Things to Know

Nandan Nilekani, cofounder and Chairman of Infosys, has been appointed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to head a high-powered task force on examination reforms. 

Nilekani is expected to leverage his expertise in digital public infrastructure and technology-led governance to build a secure, transparent, and future-ready examination ecosystem that restores public trust.  

During his nearly 40-years-long career, Nilekani has played a big role in helping India become an IT powerhouse, and making initiatives like Aadhar, the world’s largest digital identity programme, successful. 

Here are 5 things you should know about Nandan Nilekani and his task force.  

1. Credentials 

An IIT-Bombay graduate, Nilekani has built an extraordinary career spanning technology entrepreneurship, government service, politics, and philanthropy.  

He and Narayana Murthy set up Infosys in 1981. Now the second-largest IT firm in India, Infosys has a turnover of US$19.8 billion (last twelve months’ revenue) and employs more than 330,000 people. He became Chairman in August 2017 after R. Seshasayee retired. Previously, he served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director between March 2002 and June 2007. 

He led the creation of Aadhaar: As the founding Chairman of UIDAI from 2009 to 2014, Nilekani oversaw the launch of Aadhaar, which later became the backbone of the JAM (Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile) trinity. It enabled large-scale Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT), linking millions of citizens to government welfare schemes, subsidies, pensions and other public services while reducing leakages and improving transparency.

• Author of Imagining India (2008): Nilekani authored the bestselling book Imagining India: The Idea of a Renewed Nation, published in 2008. In it, he outlines his vision for India’s economic growth, governance reforms, demographic dividend and the role of technology in nation-building.
• Co-founder & Chairman of EkStep Foundation (2015): In 2015, Nilekani and his wife, Rohini Nilekani, co-founded the EkStep Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that builds open digital learning platforms to improve foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) for millions of children through technology.
• Co-chair of the G20 Task Force (January 2023): In January 2023, Nilekani was appointed Co-chair of the G20 Task Force on Digital Public Infrastructure for Economic Transformation, Financial Inclusion, and Development under India’s G20 Presidency. The task force examined how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can accelerate inclusive growth, financial inclusion and sustainable development globally.
• Co-founder & Chairman of Fundamentum Partnership (2017): In 2017, Nilekani co-founded Fundamentum Partnership, a growth-stage investment firm, with former Infosys CFO V. Balakrishnan. The fund backs technology-enabled Indian startups with long-term growth potential across sectors such as SaaS, consumer technology, fintech and enterprise software.
  

2. Awards & Recognition

Nilekani has been recognized globally for his contributions to technology, digital public infrastructure, governance, and philanthropy. Some of his most notable honors include:

• Padma Bhushan (2006): India’s third-highest civilian award for his contributions to the IT industry.
• TIME 100: Named among TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World.
• Légion d’honneur: Awarded France’s highest civilian honor for his contributions to global public service.
• EkStep & Philanthropy Recognition: Honored for advancing education through the EkStep Foundation.
• Giving Pledge: Joined the global initiative committing to donate the majority of his wealth to philanthropic causes.
• Honorary Doctorates: Conferred by multiple institutions, including IIT Bombay, for his contributions to technology and nation-building.
  

3. Back in Spotlight

Nilekani is back in the spotlight after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appointed him to head a high-powered task force to overhaul India’s public examination system in the wake of the NEET paper leak controversy.  

The six – member panel is expected to recommend reforms to make exams more transparent, secure and leak-proof. 

Members of Nilekani-led force are: 

• Dr S Somanath: Former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
• Tapan Deka: Former Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB)
• Prof. V Kamakoti: Director of IIT Madras
• Anita Karwal: Former Education Secretary, Government of India
• Amrit Lal Meena: Logistics and public administration expert
  

4. About the Task Force

The panel will submit recommendations for immediate measures to strengthen the security of upcoming examinations. Its key mandate will be to overhaul India’s national examination and testing systems and make them more secure, transparent and resistant to paper leaks.

The government is expected to implement the recommendations of the task force to build greater trust in the examination system and enhance transparency through the extensive use of technology. The panel will also explore ways to maximise the use of advanced technological solutions to create a future-ready examination framework that is secure, efficient and reliable.

5.  Mission

Nilekani’s mandate is to:

• Ensure reliability and transparency in India’s examination system 
• Introduce technology‑led governance to prevent leaks and manipulation
• Strengthen the exam lifecycle from candidate registration and identity verification, to secure question paper handling, test‑centre monitoring, evaluation, and grievance redressal 
• Build trust by combining secure systems, institutional accountability, and accessibility for urban and rural students

The government envisions this as applying the same digital public infrastructure (DPI) principles that underpinned Aadhaar to the exam ecosystem. This marks a shift from Nilekani’s earlier mission of “Who are you?” (Aadhaar) to “Can the system judge me fairly?”  applying DPI principles to ensure integrity in public examinations.