NTA Postpones CSIR UGC-NET Amidst ‘Logistical’ Challenges And ‘Unavoidable Circumstances’

The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced on Friday the postponement of the Joint CSIR-UGC-NET Examination June-2024 due to unavoidable circumstances and logistical issues. The exam, initially scheduled from June 25 to June 27, will have its revised dates announced later on the NTA’s official website.

This announcement follows closely on the heels of the Education Ministry’s cancellation of the UGC-NET examination. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan disclosed that the UGC-NET paper was leaked on the Darknet, necessitating its cancellation. The UGC-NET exam determines eligibility for assistant professorships, junior research fellowships (JRF), and PhD admissions in Indian universities and colleges.

In parallel, the NTA faces allegations of irregularities in the NEET medical entrance examination, which took place on May 5 at 4,750 centers with approximately 24 lakh candidates. The results, initially expected by June 14, were released on June 4, coinciding with the Lok Sabha election vote count. This early announcement saw an unprecedented 67 students scoring a perfect 720, with six from a single center in Haryana’s Faridabad, raising suspicions about potential irregularities and the possible influence of grace marks.

Despite these controversies, the Supreme Court on Friday declined to postpone the NEET-UG counseling process, set to begin on July 6, emphasizing the complexity of the issue. Meanwhile, the NTA is preparing to conduct a retest on Sunday for 1,563 candidates who were previously awarded grace marks due to time lost at six centers.

The NTA, established in 2017 as an autonomous and self-sustaining organization, is tasked with conducting several highly competitive entrance exams, including the CSIR-UGC-NET and NEET. It aims to maintain global standards of efficiency and transparency in its operations. However, recent events have put the agency’s processes and integrity under intense scrutiny.