The Ministry of Education has announced the cancellation of the UGC-NET June 2024 examination. The decision follows indications that the examination, held on June 18, 2024, may have been compromised. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the UGC-NET June 2024 Examination in OMR (pen and paper) mode across various cities in the country. However, on June 19, 2024, the University Grants Commission (UGC) received inputs from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs. These inputs suggested that the integrity of the examination might have been compromised.
In response, the Ministry of Education decided to cancel the examination to maintain the highest level of transparency and sanctity in the examination process. A fresh examination will be scheduled, and information shall be shared separately,The Ministry has reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the interests of students and ensuring the sanctity of examinations. Strict action will be taken against any individual or organization found to be involved in compromising the examination's integrity.
This year's UGC-NET exam saw a significant turnout, with 11,21,225 candidates registered, including 6,35,587 female students, 4,85,579 male students, and 59 third-gender candidates. Out of the total, 9,08,580 candidates, representing 81% of the registrants, appeared for the exam.The cancellation of the exam has caused frustration among many aspirants who traveled from various parts of the country to take the test. This incident adds to a series of examination-related issues this year, raising concerns about the efficacy of current examination security measures. In a related development, the NEET(UG) 2024 examination also faced scrutiny. While the issue of grace marks has been resolved, allegations of irregularities in Patna have prompted the government to seek a detailed report from the Economic Offences Unit of the Bihar Police. Further action will be taken based on this report. But like the NEET (UG) it seems UGC NET has also been compromised. Would it not be wrong to say that? This year it has been the year of Leaks and Scams in examinations across the country. This is the failure of The National Testing Agency ( NTA) due to which the students are suffering.
The UGC-NET exam, usually taken on a Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode, will be taken using OMR sheets in June 2024. This exam checks if Indian candidates are eligible for the roles of Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship in Indian universities and colleges.
It can also be used to get admission to PhD programs from this session.The exam happens twice a year, in June and December. To keep the schedule regular, the NTA, along with UGC, is holding the UGC-NET June 2023 exam in 83 subjects across various cities in India. The results of the exam determine if a candidate qualifies for a Junior Research Fellowship and/or is eligible for the role of Assistant Professor, based on their combined performance in two papers: Paper-I and Paper-II.
The use of OMR sheets in the UGC-NET examination, a new regulation introduced this year, has been highlighted as a point of concern. Despite the initial positive outlook, the compromise in the examination's integrity has underscored the challenges faced by the authorities in ensuring a foolproof examination process.
However, The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been tasked with conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.The government assures that all necessary steps will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future and protect the interests of students.