The controversy surrounding the entrance-level exams continues to unravel. In the latest, the Ministry of Education announced the
cancellation
of the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) examination on Wednesday night, a day after lakhs of students appeared for it across the country.
The education ministry’s latest decision only adds fuel to the ongoing NEET-UG row.
We take a look at what is going on and what can we expect next.
What is the UGC-NET exam? Who conducts it?
The UGC-NET exam or the National Eligibility Test is conducted to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for roles of assistant professors and junior research fellowships in universities and colleges across the country. It also tests those appearing for admission to PhD programmes.
The exam determines the eligibility of several fellowships including those under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Minorities Affairs.
According to the UGC-NET official website, candidates aspiring for these fellowships must also apply and qualify through this test.
The exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) typically in Computer Based Test (CBT) and is held twice a year in June and December. While NTA has been holding the test on behalf of the UGC in the CBT format since 2018, this year the exam was held in thepen-and-paper format.
The decision to hold the exam this year in the pen-and-paper format was to help pick more examination centres in rural areas, NTA officials told The Indian Express.
Why has the exam been cancelled?
The June examination was conducted on Tuesday (18 June) in OMR (pen and paper) mode in two shifts across the country. The education ministry cancelled the exam late Wednesday night (19 June) after inputs from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs that “the integrity of the examination may have been compromised”.
The National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the home affairs ministry looked into the matter. “These inputs prima facie indicate that the integrity of the aforesaid examination may have been compromised,” the education ministry informed in a press release.
“To ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, Government of India has decided that the UGC-NET June 2024 Examination be cancelled,” it added.
The exam has two papers. The first is common to all applicants and the second is a subject-specific paper based on specialisation. Since the exam has been cancelled for all those who appeared, there is a possibility that the “compromise” was linked to the first paper.
However, the government’s statement does not provide any details on what went wrong.
How many students will be affected?
Nine lakh candidates appeared for the exam conducted at 1,205 centres across 317 cities.
According to the NTA, 11,21,225 registered candidates, comprising 6,35,587 females, 4,85,579 males, and 59 third-gender candidates, registered for the exam. This year saw an increase in registration from the UGC-NET December 2023 exam for which 9,45,872 candidates applied.
Out of the total registered candidates, 81 per cent appeared for the exam, compared to about 73.6 per cent attendance in the December exam.
On Tuesday, UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar posted on X, “…NTA has successfully conducted UGC -NET June 2024 for determining the eligible candidates for (i) ‘award of Junior Research Fellowship and appointment as Assistant Professor’, (ii) ‘appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D.’ and (iii) ‘admission to Ph.D. only’ in 83 subjects in OMR (Pen and Paper) mode in two (02) different shifts (09:30 AM to 12:30 Noon and 03:00 PM to 06:00 PM).”
So what next for students?
A re-examination will be conducted. The education ministry said that information about it will be shared separately. “Government is committed to ensure the sanctity of examinations and protect the interest of students,” the education ministry said.
So far, no announcement on the new date for the test has been made.
What happens next in the case?
An investigation will be conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into inputs that the exam was compromised. While there have been reports of the exam paper being leaked, the education ministry has not divulged details.
UGC-NET is the first centrally conducted public exam to be cancelled after the Centre introduced an anti-paper leak law earlier this year. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, which was passed in Parliament in February 2024, provides for three to five years in prison and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh for those “resorting to unfair means and offences”. It is likely to be applied in the case of this exam, sources told The Indian Express.
What have been the reactions to the government’s decision?
Soon after the cancellation announcement, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised the government for its laxity and demanded that accountability be fixed.
“The laxity and corruption of the BJP government is fatal for the youth. After the news of scam in NEET exam, now the NET exam to be held on 18th June has also been cancelled due to the fear of irregularities. Will accountability be fixed now? Will the education minister take responsibility for this lax system?” she wrote in a post on X.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the repeated and absolute failure to conduct national examinations fairly exposes the NTA’s incompetence. “The repeated and absolute failure to conduct national examinations fairly exposes the NTA’s incompetence. This is an education emergency and also lets down lakhs of students who diligently prepare for these entrance exams… not to forget the mental pressure they go through. Cancelling is not the solution, accountability from government and NTA is. This absolute disregard to young students and their careers is unfortunate,” she said.
However, BJP leader Amit Malviya maintained that the government proactively cancelled the NET exam and assured to protect the interest of students. “GoI proactively cancels NET exams, held on 18th Jun, after UGC receives reports that the exams were compromised. CBI probe ordered. Also assures to protect interest of students and promises action in NEET(UG) exam on receipt of report from the Economic Offences Unit of the Bihar Police,” Malviya said in a post on X.
What is the NEET-UG controversy?
The
NEET-UG
(National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate) examination is the only entrance exam held every year for students seeking admission to undergraduate medical courses in medical institutions across the country. Like the UG-NET, this exam is also conducted by the NTA.
The exam was held on 5 May and the results were declared on 4 June. Soon after, there was an outcry among students who alleged that a question paper was leaked and
grace marks
were awarded to over 1,500 students, an unusually high number got the perfect score.
The results showed that 67 scored 720 in this year’s exams. Compared to this, in 2023 only two students scored full marks and only three in 2022. Six of the toppers allegedly appeared for the exam from the same centre in Haryana.
The matter went to the Supreme Court. The Centre has told the apex court that it would conduct a retest for 1,563 students who were given grace marks on 23 June. If the candidates opt out of the re-test their previous results without the grace marks have been conducted, the court ruled.
Now amid allegations of a paper lake, four men were arrested in Bihar including an aspirant. Now they have admitted to receiving the question paper a day before the exam.
On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah called for a meeting with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Health Minister J P Nadda. It was attended by a representative from the Prime Minister’s Office and officials from the NTA. Shah was briefed about the FIRs registered related to the NEET-UG exam, particularly in Bihar.
The row has led to a face-off between the Opposition and the Centre; the Congress had called for a nationwide protest on 21 June (Friday).
With inputs from agencies
Link to article –
UGC-NET vs NEET-UG: Why two entrance exams are embroiled in controversy
