After NEET controversy, cancellation of UGC-NET exam disappoints pupils

Neha Saini

Amritsar, June 20

After the controversy around the conduct of NEET (UG) exam this year, the cancellation of the UGC-NET examination on June 20 by the National Testing Agency (NTA) has sent a wave of disappointment among the candidates, who sat for the test. The Education Ministry said that the examination was cancelled as the NTA had found errors of a technical nature and said that the integrity of the exam may have been compromised. The exam was conducted just a day before its cancellation on June 19.

After the widespread criticism over the conduct of NEET, doubts have been raised over the way NTA chose to conduct the UGC-NET exam. “Post Covid, the UGC-NET was conducted in online mode, and there was never a question raised. Why did the NTA decide to conduct the exam in offline mode this year and immediately found errors or doubts of cheating? Also, the entire effort from the side of students and NTA has now gone waste since the exam was compromised,” said Vriti Madaan, who gave the UGC-NET exam for the second time this year. Vriti said that she had high hopes this year as she had done well in the exam. “So much hard work and efforts go into preparing for the exam, so these incidents create a negative impact on students,” she said.

Vriti Madaan also said that now her PhD will be stuck for another few years. “Since the UGC has now made it mandatory to clear the UGC-NET for lectureship or PhD, the cancellation will further delay the completion of PhD and another academic year will go waste.”

Minal Changotra, another UGC-NET aspirant, said there were mixed feelings to the UGC-NET exam cancellation and rescheduling. “While some people might view the change positively, appreciating the extra time for preparation, others might be concerned about the disruption to their schedules. Personally, I believe that rescheduled exams tend to be tougher. This could be to the disadvantage of candidates, who felt confident about passing the original exam but might struggle with the new one due to administrative changes. It’s crucial for candidates to adapt their study plans to the new schedule and make the most of the additional time for preparations. Staying informed about all these things officially is also essential to avoid further surprises.”

New dates to be announced

Around 11 lakh students will have to retake the UGC-NET examination after the Education Ministry cancelled it following concerns about its integrity. The new dates for the exam will be announced soon. The UGC-NET or University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test determines the eligibility for posts of lecturer, assistant professors and junior research fellows across Central/state universities and colleges across the country.