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

The Ministry of Education has announced the cancellation of the entrance examination, which was held on June 18, 2024, in OMR (pen and paper) mode across two shifts nationwide.

According to a statement, "On June 19, 2024, the University Grants Commission (UGC) received information from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the examination. This information suggests that the integrity of the examination may have been compromised."

The ministry declared the cancellation of the June 2024 examination to "ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process." They stated that the exam will be rescheduled, and the new date will be announced later.

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

Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) across 317 cities, the UGC NET exam had over 9 lakh candidates participating. This exam holds significant importance for individuals aspiring to secure Assistant Professor positions in universities and colleges, as well as for determining eligibility for junior research fellowships.

Given the cancellation of the exam for all candidates, it indicates that the alleged compromise may involve the first paper, which is common to all examinees.

The UGC-NET comprises two papers: the first paper, which is common to all candidates, and the second paper, which is subject-specific based on the candidate’s specialization. The second paper is available in 83 subjects.

The total duration for both papers combined is three hours. Both papers consist of objective-type multiple-choice questions (MCQs), totaling 150 questions overall. Paper 1 contains 50 questions, while Paper 2 includes 100 questions. Importantly, there is no negative marking in the examination.

Mehina Fatima, a candidate affected by the cancellation of the NET exam, expressed her frustration to The Mooknayak, saying, “We have been preparing for months for this exam. Many candidates have already traveled back home after completing the exam. Now, 24 hours later, they announce the full cancellation of the NET exam. They haven't provided a proper explanation except for mentioning a leaked exam paper.”

She went on to question, “How could it have been leaked without the NTA knowing about it? Someone within the NTA must be involved in the leak. Why should we be held accountable? 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 re-examination, emphasizing, “A re-examination would delay PhD admissions and create uncertainty regarding fellowship availability.”

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

From application fees to travel expenses incurred reaching exam centers often located far from metro or bus routes in remote areas, the financial burden is substantial.

She mentioned spending 600 rupees solely on travel to and from the exam center. The intense heat and poorly ventilated classrooms with insufficient fans made the entire experience exceptionally challenging.

Describing the entire process as "shameful," Dr. Maya John, Member of the Academic Council at the University of Delhi, criticized the NTA, stating that once again, lakhs of students "have fallen victim to the indifference and incompetence of the NTA."

The professor expressed dissatisfaction with the Union Ministry's recent decision to cancel the UGC-NET exam, highlighting the lack of a clear official explanation.

This opacity is viewed as an effort to conceal corruption and mismanagement, issues that have become widespread in nationwide examinations for research fellowships, university teaching qualifications, 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 about the NTA officials, as well as the UGC and the Union Ministry of Education,” remarked Dr. Maya.

“It is clear that despite the government’s push for centralized examination systems, there is insufficient effort to address the issues of mismanagement and corruption that disproportionately impact students, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds who have limited access to resources needed to repeatedly appear for such exams.”

Students Protest

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

According to SFI, protesters, including female students, were subjected to aggressive handling by the Delhi police, resulting in several injuries. SFI activists were forcefully detained and transported to various police stations.

The protesting students demanded the dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and called for the immediate resignation of the Minister of Education, 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 NTA. NTA has shown complete incompetence in the administration of these examinations, as evidenced by the paper leak in NEET, discrepancies in the CUET exam, and the recent compromise in the integrity of the UGC NET 2024 exam."

‘Will the Govt Take Accountability?’

In response to the decision, opposition parties criticized the government, with the Congress labeling it a "defeat of the arrogance of the Modi government."

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge described the cancellation of the examination as a "victory for the spirit of millions of students." In a post on social media, he urged, “Modi Ji, please take responsibility to halt your government’s rigging and paper leaks in the NEET exam too!”

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also lambasted the government, asserting that leaks and corruption are detrimental to the youth. “The negligence and corruption of the BJP government are perilous for the youth… Will accountability be established now? Will the education minister take responsibility for this lax system?” she posted on social media.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi criticized the NTA's repeated failure to conduct national examinations fairly, highlighting its incompetence. “This situation constitutes an education emergency and a betrayal of the lakhs of students who diligently prepare for these entrance exams, enduring immense mental pressure. Simply cancelling the exam is not enough; what's needed is accountability from the government and NTA. This disregard for young students and their futures 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).

Results were released on June 4, ten days ahead of schedule. However, allegations of a question paper leak and the awarding of grace marks to over 1,500 students sparked protests and legal challenges, including in the Supreme Court.

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

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

Regarding NEET, the Education Ministry has declared that the issue of grace marks has been fully resolved. Additionally, a detailed report has been requested from the Economic Offences Unit of the Bihar Police regarding alleged irregularities in Patna.

The government reiterated its commitment to upholding the integrity of examinations and safeguarding students' interests, pledging stringent action against any individuals or organizations implicated.

Reflecting on the incident, Dr. Maya John, a member of the academic council at Delhi University, remarked, “The NTA’s incompetence was starkly revealed during the recent National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). However, instead of taking decisive action and holding NTA officials accountable, the Ministry of Education attempted to downplay and conceal the issue.”