National Testing Agency announces new dates for UGC-NET, CSIR-UGC-NET, NCET exams amid paper leak dispute

The National Research Agency on Friday announced new dates for the University Grants Commission – National Placement Test, the National Joint Admission Test and the Joint Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – University Grants Commission National Placement Test.

These competitive entrance exams have been cancelled or postponed in light of recent allegations of paper leaks and other irregularities in tests conducted by the National Testing Agency.

University Grants Commission –National Placement Testconducted for the positions of assistant professors at universities and colleges, will take place from August 21 to September 4.

The exam took place on June 18, but was canceled the next day due to “the possibility of compromising its integrity.” Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on June 20 that the question paper was leaked and circulated on the messaging app Telegram.

Pradhan took moral responsibility for the students’ loss of confidence in the manner in which competitive examinations were conducted.

The Joint Research Council-University Grants Commission National Qualifying Test for Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professor or Assistant Professor positions in universities will now be held from July 25 to 27.

On June 21, the National Testing Agency postponed the study, citing “unavoidable circumstances and logistical problems.”

The National Common Entrance Test is conducted for admission to the four-year Integrated Teacher Training Programme in selected central and state universities or institutions. It was postponed a few hours before its scheduled date of June 12.

The exam will be held on July 10.

The National Testing Agency has found itself in the middle of a dispute over alleged irregularities and document leaks during entrance exams.

The controversy began with allegations of document leaks, “arbitrary” granting of favors to some candidates and other irregularities in the National Qualification Test for admission to bachelor’s studies in medicine, conducted on May 5.

The NEET-UG exam has not been cancelled, but the Supreme Court is currently hearing a number of petitions seeking its postponement.

On June 22, the National Testing Agency also postponed the National Eligibility-Entry Test for Postgraduate Entrance Examination in the country, also called NEET-PG exam.

The NEET-PG exam, scheduled to be held on June 23, has been canceled “in the best interest of students and to maintain the sanctity of the examination process,” the health ministry said in a statement. It has been clarified that the rescheduled exam dates will be announced after a “thorough assessment of the robustness of the NEET-PG entrance examination processes”.

It should be emphasized that the NEET-PG exam is not conducted by the National Testing Agency, but by the National Medical Sciences Examination Board.

On June 22, the federal government sacked National Testing Agency director general Subodh Kumar Singh. He was replaced by a retired 1985-batch Indian Administrative Service officer, Pradeep Singh Kharola.

Read also: How a messaging app that helps students prepare for exams led to paper leaks