NTA The body has faced criticism for mismanagement in recent weeks, especially in the case of the names of an unprecedented 67 All India Rank 1 candidates for the NEET UG 2024 exam. As a result, stakeholders and NEET candidates expressed concerns and sued the exam body over various alleged anomalies, including grace marks and paper leaks. The Supreme Court is currently hearing a petition over the alleged paper leak, with the next hearing scheduled for July 8, 2024.
Cancellation UGC NET The 2024 exam which took place right after the NEET UG controversy. As per NTA data, over 9 lakh candidates appeared for the UGC NET 2024 June session. These recent controversies have raised concerns among candidates and stakeholders about the integrity and effectiveness of the national level examination body NTA, which was set up in November 2017 to conduct entrance exams admissions and recruitment.
Why was the UGC-NET 2024 exam cancelled?
The UGC-NET June 2024 exam was cancelled on Wednesday, 19 June 2024, as the University Grants Commission (UGC) received information from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analysis Unit (I4C) of the Ministry of Home Affairs that the integrity of this NTA exam has been compromised. To maintain the transparency and sanctity of the examination process, the Ministry of Education has decided to cancel the UGC NET 2024 June session. A new exam will be conducted, details of which will be announced in due course.
Candidates were allowed to take back their admit cards in violation of NTA’s written instructions
TOI spoke to several candidates who took the UGC-NET June 2024 exam on June 18 and found that the exam officials refused to collect the admit cards of candidates this time, which is different from the traditional practice of many NTA exams. As per the usual practice, the NTA, while conducting entrance exams, asks candidates to affix their left thumb impression, a photograph and a signature (on the day of the exam, in the presence of the invigilator). Additionally, the admit cards are retained by the invigilator after the exam. TOI accessed a question paper used in the UGC NET exam held on June 18, which reads in bold under the ‘Candidate Instructions’ section:
“After the completion of the examination, the candidates have to hand over the OMR Answer Sheet to the invigilator. After the completion of the examination, the candidates may take the Question Booklet with them. In case, the candidate does not hand over the OMR Answer Sheet to the invigilator and goes away with any one of the above documents (both OMR Answer Sheet and Original Admit Card), his/her candidature will be cancelled and criminal proceedings will also be initiated against him/her.”
Instructions to Candidates from UGC NET Test-Booklet
Despite the written instructions, candidates from several states told The Times of India that their UGC NET June 2024 exam admit cards were not kept. Instead, they were asked to take them back.
Admit cards bearing holograms will be taken back by the candidates after UGC-NET exam, June 2024
The admit card which contains an additional image and thumb impression is collected for the purpose of cross-verification, to ascertain which candidate appeared for the exam and went through the identity verification process. This is important to ensure the integrity and sanctity of the exam being conducted. After the admit card is collected, candidates can still check their scores using the roll number provided on their e-admit card available on the UGC NET website. Additionally, candidates are required to fill in their details, such as name, roll number, exam centre and sign on the test booklet containing the questions, which they can retain after the exam. This booklet is then countersigned by the invigilator.
Talking about carrying back the admit cards, Bhavya Jha, who appeared for UGC NET June session 2024 for the second time, shared with Times of India that everyone was asked to carry back their admit cards. Candidates raised the issue with the invigilator as it is mentioned in the guidelines that students should submit their admit cards. The exam authority replied that “we have not received instructions to collect the admit cards of the candidates, so we will not take it.”
After the exam authorities refused to accept the admit cards from the candidates who appeared for the exam, many candidates have this question in their mind: Was the UGC NET exam going to be cancelled in the first place? Well, the answer to this is still awaited.
