Education Ministry cancels UGC-NET a day after exam, CBI to launch probe

In a shift from earlier practice, the National Eligibility Test (NET) was conducted in pen and paper mode this time on a single day – 18 June 18 – with a record 11 lakh students registering for the exam  and it was conducted in two shifts. In a post on X confirming the cancellation, the Ministry said, “Government is committed to ensure the sanctity of examinations and protect the interest of students.”

Government is committed to ensure the sanctity of examinations and protect the interest of students.

Ministry of Education has decided that the UGC-NET June 2024 Examination be cancelled on the basis of inputs from Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry…

— Ministry of Education (@EduMinOfIndia) June 19, 2024

Also Read: From grace marks to alleged paper leak: NEET UG exam row explained

A fresh examination shall be conducted, for which information shall be shared separately, a senior Ministry of Education (MoE) official said.

UGC-NET is a test to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for the award of junior research fellowship, for appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to PhD in universities and colleges in the country.

“The UGC received certain inputs from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs on the Examination. These inputs prima-facie indicate that the integrity of the aforesaid examination may have been compromised,” the senior official said.

“To ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process, it has been decided that the UGC-NET June 2024 examination be cancelled. 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 (CBI) for thorough investigation in the matter,” the official added.

Related: NEET-UG exam row: ‘If a person who played fraud becomes a doctor, it is deleterious to society’, says SC

NEET row: 

Mentioning the NEET UG row in its press release, the Ministry said that “the issue related to grace marks has already been fully addressed.”

However, a senior official of the ministry said, “Regarding certain irregularities alleged in the conduct of the examination in Patna, a detailed report has been sought from the Economic Offences Unit, Bihar Police. The government will take further action on receipt of this report.”

The ministry reiterated that the government is committed to ensure the sanctity of examinations and protect the interest of students and that anyone found to be involved in this matter will face strictest action.

“The government is committed to ensuring the sanctity of examinations and protect the interest of students. It is reiterated that any individual or organisation found involved in this matter will face the strictest action,” the official added.

Observing that students have to work hard while preparing for these examinations, the apex court has said the litigation pertaining to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate)-2024 ought not be treated as adversarial.

The Centre and the National Testing Agency on 13 June told the top court that they had cancelled the grace marks given to 1,563 candidates, who took the examination for admission to MBBS and other such courses. The candidates will have the option to either take a retest (on 23 June) or forgo the compensatory marks awarded to them for the loss of time, the Centre had said.

The examination was held on 5 May across 4,750 centres and around 24 lakh candidates appeared for it. Its results were expected to be declared on 14 June but were announced on 4 June, apparently because the evaluation of the answer sheets was completed earlier.

(Edited by Neena with PTI inputs)

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