Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani the task of reforming education in the wake of the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. A similar role was offered to the former IT whiz by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in 2009.In a video message, Modi on Jattvibeday announced that the government had set up a high-powered task force on examination reforms under Nilekani.In 2009, Nilekani was offered the post of Human Resource Development Minister by Rahul. Nilekani had agreed to the proposal and is believed to have packed his bags and hired a chartered plane to come to Delhi for the swearing-in.However, the offer was withdrawn under pressure from other factions in the UPA. Instead, the then Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, asked him to undertake a nationwide exercise following which the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) was set up to issue Aadhaar cards.Nilekani served as the Chairman of the UIDAI from July 2009 to March 2014. The Nilekani-led task force is expected to examine the use of technology and recommend systemic reforms to improve transparency, credibility and efficiency in the conduct of examinations.Former ISRO Chairman S Somanath, former IB Director Tapan Deka, IIT-Madras Director V Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena will be part of the task force.Through a video message, the Prime Minister also asserted that the accused who messed up with the future of students were in jail. He referred to the investigation into the NEET-UG paper leak in which the judicial custody of 13 accused has been extended till August 6.The announcement by the Prime Minister comes a day after the government on July 25 accepted the demands laid down by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which organised protests over the NEET paper leak.“Friends, the time has come to take decisive action. Those who have played with the future of students must be held accountable. We will raise this issue in Parliament and push for strict laws and necessary reforms. We cannot remain indifferent to our future. Our examination system must be credible and transparent, and it must make the maximum use of technology,” he said.Modi said technology should become a key instrument in restoring trust in competitive examinations.“To address these concerns, a high-powered task force led by Nilekani has been announced to focus on examination reforms and ensure the integrity of upcoming examinations based on its recommendations. We are also moving towards enacting a new legislation in Parliament that incorporates stringent legal provisions,” he said.Meanwhile, the CJP said it would follow up in about four weeks on its five-point demand charter for broader education and examination reforms, with the Centre agreeing to deliberate on the proposals and hold further discussions.One of the major gaps in the 2024 NEET-UG paper leak was found in logistics. The K Radhakrishnan Committee, constituted following the paper leak identified local transport, storage and human handling as some of the weakest links in the conduct of the examination. The committee, formed in June 2024, submitted its report in October the same year.Since the government has also planned to shift the NEET-UG examination to a computer-based test model to contain the chances of paper leak, it is important to create a technology infrastructure across the country where over 20 lakh medical aspirants can take the examination.The K Radhakrishnan Committee also emphasised on the use of technology to curb malpractices. The committee’s report laid stress on efforts to prevent impersonation, a crackdown on organised cheating networks and to blacklist unreliable centres.Nilekani contested the Lok Sabha election on the Congress ticket in 2014 from Bangalore South and lost it.