The Union Cabinet, on Friday, cleared a proposal for the creation of a National Testing Agency (NTA), to conduct entrance tests which are at present being conducted by the CBSE. The NTA will take over all entrance examinations being organised by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), including UGC’s National Eligibility Test (NET), Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) and NEET. An official statement said the NTA will be created as a Society registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act, 1860, and as an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions. “The entrance examinations will be conducted in online mode at least twice a year, thereby giving adequate opportunity to candidates to bring out their best,” stated the government’s press statement released on Friday. This body will be subjected to a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit. Initially, the government will provide a one-time grant of Rs 25 crore for NTA to start operation. It will have a board of governors and a director general, who will be an eminent educationist.