NET is far from perfect but its cancellation matters more than you think

As soon as news spread that the UGC-NET 2024 exam had been canceled by the Ministry of Education, affected students, teachers and others launched a tweetstorm about how unfair the decision was.

The exam took place on June 18 in two shifts, with the afternoon shift ending at 6 p.m. The next day at 10 p.m., the cancellation was announced. In fact, after taking the exams, many complained about the format – multiple-choice questions (MCQs) which do not really test teaching and research skills – and the wording of the questions as well as the poor infrastructure such as lack of clean toilets and access for people with disabilities to schools. centers. There were also complaints about the high registration fees, which varied between Rs 350 and 1,150 depending on the location. It is no wonder that after enduring all this and passing the exams in intense heat, there was so much anger among the students.

Much has already been said about the disadvantages of a centralized exam as well as using a MCQ-based test, so I won’t dwell much on those. But in the context of this cancellation, let us see what it means for the future of higher education, especially humanities and social sciences in India.

Doctoral admissions delayed: In March 2024, the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the exam, said the NET score would be combined with the scores obtained in the admission interview for doctoral programs. This means that these admissions will now be delayed for institutions that were planning to use NET scores. These include JNU, University of Delhi and University of Hyderabad.

Foreign qualification bonus: Canceling exams sends message that Indian higher education system cannot be trusted. Students will take this as a sign to pursue their PhD studies outside India, especially in Europe and the United States. But this can only be achieved by a privileged group of people. It is not easy to gain admission to a doctoral program abroad, especially for those with limited access to money and information.

This creates a distinction between those with a foreign degree and those pursuing a doctorate domestically. People with a foreign doctorate may be favored in hiring. This distinction already exists, as evidenced by the profiles of recent recruits from several private universities. There is a clear preference for holders of foreign degrees among private universities, particularly “white degrees”. This particularly affects students from marginalized backgrounds. Clearing the NET exam and pursuing a PhD in India from a public university is the only choice available to many.

The pressure of marriage increases: there are other associated fallout. The Junior Research Grant (JRF) — which students can benefit from after obtaining the UGC-NET to finance their doctorate — has an age limit of 30 years. This loss of time can therefore affect students’ chances of obtaining the JRF if they are closer to the age limit. . For candidates, cancellation has additional consequences. When a woman reaches her twenties in India, there is pressure to get married. Clearing NET and enrolling in a PhD program is a way for many to delay marriage. Obtaining a JRF guarantees financial security and further allows women to negotiate with their families. This is especially true for women from low-income families. Since NET is the minimum eligibility criteria for getting a teaching job, it also pushes people out of the job market. Cancellation of the examination results in further delay in rescheduling, declaration of results and disbursement of certificates.

Setback for the humanities and social sciences: This compromising situation is yet another attack on the humanities and social sciences – a global trend at the moment. The humanities and social sciences have been hit by budget cuts, department closures, job insecurity and the politicization of educational spaces. The cancellation of the exam and the increased uncertainty surrounding it propagates the idea that there is no point in pursuing higher studies in these disciplines.

Like many others, I don’t think the NET exam is a good test of teaching and research skills. But in a country where selections can be tainted by social prejudice, this creates at least a semblance of objectivity. The cancellation of the exam itself is not a good sign for the Indian higher education system. This is a direct blow to the aspirations of students.

Patgiri is a sociologist and teaches at IIT, Guwahati. Opinions are personal.

END OF ARTICLE