NTA controversies, exam cancellations threaten careers of NEET students at UGC NET

New Delhi: Students across the country face another challenge. Following widely reported issues with the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET), the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) is now under scrutiny.

The Ministry of Education announced the cancellation of the entrance examination, which was held on June 18, 2024, in OMR (pen and paper) mode in two teams throughout the country.

According to a statement: “On June 19, 2024, the University Grants Commission (UGC) received information from the National Cybercrime Threat Analysis Unit of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Center (I4C) under the Ministry of Defense. ‘Interior regarding the exam. the information suggests that the integrity of the review may have been compromised.

The ministry announced the cancellation of the June 2024 exam to “ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the exam process.” They said the exam would be postponed and the new date would be announced later.

Additionally, the Ministry of Education (MoE) announced that the investigation into the potential compromise of the exam would be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) across 317 cities, the UGC NET exam witnessed over 9 lakh candidates. This exam is of considerable importance for individuals aspiring to obtain assistant professorships at universities and colleges, as well as for determining eligibility for junior research fellowships.

Given the cancellation of the exam for all candidates, this indicates that the alleged compromise could concern the first test, common to all candidates.

The UGC-NET includes two tests: the first test, common to all candidates, and the second test, specific to the subject depending on the candidate’s specialization. The second article is available in 83 topics.

The total duration of both articles combined is three hours. Both papers consist of objective-type multiple choice questions (MCQs), totaling 150 questions in total. Paper 1 contains 50 questions, while Paper 2 consists of 100 questions. It is important to note that there are no negative marks on the exam.

Mehina Fatima, a candidate affected by the cancellation of the NET exam, expressed her frustration to Mooknayak saying, “We have been preparing for this exam for months. Many candidates have already returned home after taking the exam. Today, 24 hours later, they announced the complete cancellation of the NET exam. They did not provide a proper explanation except mentioning a leaked exam paper.

She then asked: “How could this have been leaked without the NTA knowing? Someone within the NTA must be involved in the leak. Why should we be held responsible? Why should we bear the consequences of someone else’s mistake? Will they refund all the money we spent?

Fatima also highlighted the implications of a review, emphasizing: “A review would delay PhD admissions and create uncertainty over the availability of scholarships. »

The student also shared her experience, highlighting the high costs associated with the entire NET exam process.

From application fees to travel costs incurred to reach exam centers often located far from metro or bus lines in remote areas, the financial burden is significant.

She mentioned spending Rs 600 just on traveling to and from the exam centre. The intense heat and poorly ventilated classrooms, with insufficient fans, made the experience extremely difficult.

Terming the entire process “shameful”, Dr Maya John, a member of the Academic Council of Delhi University, slammed the NTA, saying that once again thousands of students “have been victims of the indifference and incompetence of the NTA. “

The professor expressed displeasure over the Union ministry’s recent decision to cancel the UGC-NET exam, highlighting the lack of a clear official explanation.

This opacity is seen as an attempt to cover up corruption and mismanagement, problems that have been prevalent in national examinations for fellowships, university teaching degrees and various entrance exams conducted by the centralized NTA.

“The arbitrary decision to conduct an offline exam, followed by the sudden cancellation of the UGC-NET exam, raises serious questions on the NTA officials, as well as the UGC and the Ministry of Education of the Union,” Dr. Maya remarked.

“It is clear that despite the government’s efforts towards centralized examination systems, insufficient efforts are being made to address the problems of mismanagement and corruption which disproportionately affect students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds who have limited access to the resources needed to take these exams repeatedly. »

Student demonstration

Hundreds of students, led by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI Delhi), staged a protest in front of the Ministry of Education (MoE) over the discrepancies found in the UGC NET exam and its subsequent cancellation.

According to SFI, the protesters, including female students, were subjected to aggressive treatment by the Delhi Police, resulting in several injuries. SFI activists were forcibly arrested and transported to different police stations.

The protesting students demanded the dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and called for the immediate resignation of Education Minister Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan.

Avijit Ghosh, vice-president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), commented: “They have been making a mockery of the entire education system since the inception of the NTA. The NTA has demonstrated utter incompetence in administering these exams as evidenced by the paper leaks in NEET, discrepancies in the CUET exam and the recent compromise of the integrity of the UGC NET 2024 exam »

“Will the government assume its responsibilities?

In response to the move, opposition parties criticized the government, with the Congress calling it a “defeat of the Modi government’s arrogance”.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge called the cancellation of the exam a “victory for the minds of millions of students”. In a social media post, he urged, “Modi Ji, please take responsibility to stop your government’s rigging and paper leaks in the NEET exam too!” »

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also slammed the government, saying leaks and corruption are harming the youth. “The negligence and corruption of the BJP government are perilous for the youth… Will accountability be established now? Will the Minister of Education take responsibility for this lax system? she posted on social media.

Shiv Sena’s (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi has criticized the NTA’s repeated failure to conduct the national exams in a fair manner, highlighting its incompetence. “This situation constitutes an educational emergency and a betrayal of thousands of students who are diligently preparing for these entrance exams, under immense mental pressure. Simply canceling the exam is not enough; what is needed is accountability from the government and the NTA. This disregard for young students and their future is deeply regrettable,” she wrote on social media.

NEET-UG 2024 Update

Nearly 24 lakh students appeared for the NEET-UG 2024 exam for undergraduate medical courses on May 5, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The results were published on June 4, ten days ahead of schedule. However, allegations of leaking question papers and awarding grace marks to more than 1,500 students have sparked protests and legal challenges, including in the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court on June 20 agreed to hear petitions questioning the appointment of NTA chairman Prof Pradeep Kumar Joshi to the committee recommending a retest for 1,563 students who received grace marks.

The NTA faces multiple allegations of irregularities, including discrepancies between student scorecards and OMR sheets, inflated cutoffs and average scores, and statistically improbable scores, such as 67 perfect scores of 720/720 , with six toppers from the same exam center in Haryana. . The petitioners also raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the awarding of compensatory marks.

Regarding NEET, the Education Ministry said the issue of pardons has been fully resolved. Besides, a detailed report has been sought from the Economic Offenses Unit of the Bihar Police regarding alleged irregularities in Patna.

The government has reiterated its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the examinations and safeguarding the interests of students, pledging to take strict action against any person or organization involved.

Reflecting on the incident, Dr Maya John, a member of the Academic Council of Delhi University, remarked: “The incompetence of the NTA was clearly exposed in the recent National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET). However, instead of taking decisive action and holding NTA officials to account, the Ministry of Education attempted to downplay and cover up the problem.