Students emerging from secondary school and seeking admission to professional programmes of study at undergraduate level in higher education are required to appear in a multitude of entrance examinations. The standards of these entrance examinations vary widely and the burden imposed on students in terms of time, money and the stress caused in scheduling and preparing for such examination is tremendous. The multiplicity of entrance examinations needs to be dispensed with and it then becomes incumbent to develop a nationally accepted testing mechanism. 2. The idea of developing a national testing scheme with the oversight of a National Testing Authority has been under the consideration of the Ministry of HRD for some time. Accordingly a concept paper on such a scheme was placed before the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), in its 61" meeing. The CASE decided that the proposal to set up National Testing Agency should be taken forward in consultation with all stakeholders.