Amid NEET Fiasco, UGC-NET Cancelled After “Exam Integrity Compromised”; Opposition Reacts

New Delhi: The Education Ministry cancelled the UGC-NET examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), just a day after it was held, saying “integrity of the examination may have been compromised”.

The UGC-NET was conducted on June 18 in OMR (pen and paper) mode in two shifts at 1205 exam centres in 317 cities across the country. Over 11 lakh candidates appeared for the exam. “…on the basis of inputs from Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, prima-facie indicating that the integrity of the examination may have been compromised, the exam has been cancelled,” informed the Education Ministry via a post on the social media platform, X, late on Wednesday.

The fresh test for Junior Research Fellowship, appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to PhD degree courses will be held again, it added.

The ministry further said that the matter is being handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a thorough investigation.

“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. A fresh examination shall be conducted, for which information shall be shared separately,” the NTA said in a statement.

The announcement triggered an immediate reaction from Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who called out the government for its “laxity” and demanded that accountability be fixed.

In a post in Hindi on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Narendra Modi ji, you discuss exams a lot, but when will you hold ‘NEET pareeksha pe charcha’. Cancellation of UGC-NET exam is a victory of the passion of lakhs of students,” he said.

“When will NEET exam be cancelled?” the senior Congress leader asked while questioning arrests of education mafia were made in Bihar, Gujarat and Haryana.

“Modi ji, take responsibility to stop your government’s rigging and paper leak in NEET exam too,” Kharge added.

This assumed significance since NTA is already facing flak for irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test – Undergraduate (NEET UG) exam. “In the matter pertaining to the NEET(UG) Examination-2024, the issue related to grace marks has already been fully addressed. As regards certain irregularities alleged in the conduct of the examination in Patna, a detailed report has been sought from the Economic Offences Unit, Bihar Police. Government will take further action, on receipt of this report,” the ministry said.