Center cancels UGC-NET exam citing ‘compromised’ integrity; Congress speaks of “government leaking papers”

NEW DELHI: The education ministry on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of the UGC-NET conducted by the National Testing Agency following reports that the integrity of the exam may have been compromised and the matter was forwarded to the CBI for further investigation, officials said. said.

The ministry’s decision comes amid a massive row over the NEET medical entrance exam due to alleged irregularities, with the issue now reaching the Supreme Court.

Unlike earlier practice, the National Eligibility Test (NET) was conducted this time in pen and paper mode on a single day (June 18), with a record 11 lakh students registering for the ‘exam.

A fresh exam will be conducted, for which information will be shared separately, a senior Ministry of Education (MoE) official said.

UGC-NET is a test to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for the award of Junior Research Fellowships, appointments as Assistant Professors and admission to PhD in Indian Universities and Colleges.

“The UGC has received certain inputs from the National Cyber ​​Threat Analysis Unit of the Indian Cyber ​​Crime Coordination Center (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs on the review. These inputs indicate at first view that the integrity of the above-mentioned review may have been compromised,” the senior official said.

“In order to ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process, it has been decided to cancel the June 2024 UGC-NET examination.”

“Further examination will be conducted, for which information will be shared separately. Simultaneously, the matter is being handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further investigation into the matter,” the official added.

Soon after the cancellation of the UGC-NET, the Congress on Wednesday called the Modi government a “paper leak government” and asked if the education minister would take responsibility now.

The Congress alleged that the Modi government was playing with the future of the youth. “Yesterday the UGC-NET exam was conducted in various cities across the country. Today the exam was canceled due to suspected paper leak. The first NEET paper was leaked and now the UGC- NET.The Modi government has become a ‘paper leak government,’ the party said on X.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge also attacked the government over alleged irregularities in the NEET medical entrance exam and asked when Prime Minister Narendra Modi would conduct the ‘NEET pareeksha pe charcha’.

In a Hindi post on The cancellation of the UGC-NET exam is a victory of the passion of thousands of students. ,” he said.

“This is the defeat of the arrogance of the Modi government, because of which it has made a despicable attempt to trample the future of our youth,” he added.

Kharge said the Union Education Minister had initially said that no documents were leaked in NEET but when arrests of education mafiosi were made in Bihar, Gujarat and Haryana, the minister “accepts that a scam” took place. “When will NEET exam be cancelled? ” He asked.

“Modi ji, also take responsibility to stop your government’s manipulation and paper leaks in NEET exam,” Kharge said.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the government after the education ministry ordered the cancellation of UGC-NET and demanded that responsibilities be corrected. Priyanka also claimed that the BJP government’s “corruption and laxity” is detrimental to the youth.

“After news of a scam in the NEET exam, the NET exam held on June 18 was also canceled due to fear of irregularities. Will the liability be sorted out now? The Minister of ‘Will Education take responsibility for this laxity?’ Vadra asked in a message in Hindi.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)