The Ministry of Education has ordered the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), just a day after it took place. This decision follows controversy surrounding the NEET medical entrance exam and is currently under Supreme Court review.
In a departure from previous practices, the National Eligibility Test (NET) was conducted in a pen-and-paper format this time. Approximately 81% of the 11.21 lakh registered candidates appeared for the exam, held in 317 cities nationwide.
The cancellation was prompted by inputs received from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), indicating potential compromises in the exam’s integrity, according to the Education Ministry.
“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,” the ministry said in a statement.
“A fresh examination shall be conducted, for which information shall be shared separately. Simultaneously, the matter is being handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (C.B.I.) for thorough investigation in the matter,” it added.
The UGC-NET exam assesses Indian nationals for eligibility as ‘Assistant Professor’ and for ‘Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professor’ roles in universities and colleges. It is typically conducted by the NTA in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode twice annually (June and December).
Candidates qualifying for Assistant Professorship are considered based on their performance in Paper-I and Paper-II of the UGC-NET exam. Those eligible for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) can pursue research or apply for Assistant Professorship. Rules for Assistant Professors vary by university, college, or state government.
The cancellation and subsequent investigation mark a significant development in the examination process, impacting thousands of aspirants across the country.
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