 "UGC-NET exam, NTA")
After the Centre on Wednesday announced that the UGC-NET examination stands cancelled, the National Testing Agency (NTA) which conducted the exam on June 18, is facing intensified scrutiny and demands calling for it to be abolished.
The Centre cancelled the National Eligibility Test (NET), conducted for the appointment in universities for roles such as assistant professors, junior research fellowships, saying that it may have been "compromised" and added the issue will be investigated by the CBI. A fresh exam date will be announced, it said.
The Centre cancelled the National Eligibility Test (NET), conducted for the appointment in universities for roles such as assistant professors, junior research fellowships, saying that it may have been "compromised" and added the issue will be investigated by the CBI. A fresh exam date will be announced, it said.
The NTA is also responsible for conducting the medical entrance exam NEET-UG, which is facing allegations of irregularities.
NEET-UG 2024 paper leak controversy
The NEET-UG, a graduate-level entrance exam, was conducted on May 5, with its results announced on June 4, ten days ahead of the scheduled announcement. The results showed that as many as 67 students had topped the exam, an unprecedented development, prompting allegations of rigging and paper leaks.
Currently, students and Opposition parties are staging nationwide protests as they seek to cancel the NEET-UG exam 2024, against which pleas are being heard in the Supreme Court.
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On June 10, the Centre told the apex court that the grace marks awarded to more than 1,500 students in the NEET exams, will be revoked and they may appear for a fresh exam, slated to be held on June 23. Of the 67 toppers, 44 had secured a perfect score after being awarded grace marks for a physics question.
What is the National Testing Agency: Its origin, history, role
Announced by the Centre in 2017, the NTA is an autonomous body entrusted with conducting entrance examinations for admission/fellowship in higher educational institutions. From a test’s preparation to its delivery and marking, the NTA undertakes all these responsibilities in a “scientific manner” in consultation with the subject matter experts and psychometricians.
“The right candidates joining the best institutions will give India her demographic dividend,” reads NTA’s vision on its official website, a statement that is starkly different from the current allegations of exam mismanagement that the exam body is facing at present.
The NTA conducted its first exam UGC-NET test in December 2018.
NTA also responsible for the JEE Main engineering exam
Besides NEET and UGC-NET, the NTA also conducts the engineering entrance exam - Joint Entrance Examination (Main) - which is used as a measure for admission in India’s prestigious IITs and NITs. The JEE Main exam is followed by a JEE Advanced level, conducted by the IITs on a rotational basis.
Which other exams are conducted by the NTA?
The national exam body also conducts the CMAT and GPAT. The CMAT or Common Management Admission Test is a national level entrance test held for admission to Management Programme(s) in India.
Meanwhile, the GPAT or Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test is conducted for admission of Pharmacy graduates into the Masters programmes.
Who is part of the governing body of the NTA?
At present, the NTA is headed by former UPSC Chairman Pradeep Kumar Joshi. The NTA’s governing body comprises a team of 14 persons including the chairman.
IAS Subodh Kumar Singh serves as its director general.
He is joined by three directors of IITs (who are preceding and succeeding chairpersons of JEE Advanced), two directors of NITs (preceding Chairperson of Central Seat Allocation Board), two Directors of the IIMS (preceding chairpersons of CAT exam), director of one of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research institutes on a rotation basis, one representative from Central universities on a rotational basis, the vice chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University, National Assessment and Accreditation Council chairperson and Dr Harish Shetty, who is a M.D. (Psychiatry), Dr. LH Hiranandani Hospital, Powai, Mumbai.
