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24-06-2024
Bureau Report + Agencies
NEW DELHI: The head of India’s National Testing Agency (NTA) has been dismissed following accusations of irregularities in recent exams for higher education.
The government has also appointed a committee to recommend reforms in the fiercely competitive process.
There have been calls to rerun a medical entrance test after thousands of candidates secured unusually high marks, prompting protests over alleged cheating.
The National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) is the gateway to studying medicine in India.
Millions of students sit the exam every year, but only a small percentage get good enough marks to secure a placement.
The results announced on 4 June meant that even high-scorers found it difficult to do so.
Since then, the exam has come under scrutiny for reasons ranging from errors in the question paper to unwarranted grace marks (compensatory marks) and fraud.
Earlier this month federal Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan admitted that “some irregularities” had come to light.
NTA chief Subodh Kumar Singh has come under intense criticism and on Saturday he was dismissed.
A qualifying exam for PhD fellowships was also cancelled after the question paper was leaked on the dark web.
The entrance test for post-graduate degrees in medicine, which was due to be sat on Sunday, has been postponed.
Opposition parties and student groups have been holding protests across the country against the lapses, putting pressure on the recently reelected government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A crucial medical exam in India has sparked anger, protests and allegations of cheating after thousands of candidates secured unusually high marks in this year’s test.
The National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET-UG is the gateway to studying medicine in the country, as its score is necessary for getting admission to a medical college. It is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), a government organization which holds some of India’s biggest exams.
Millions of students take the exam every year, but only a small percentage get good enough marks to secure a college placement but this year the challenge is somewhat different: too many candidates have got top marks, pushing down the ranking system and making it hard for even high-scorers to get admission.
Since the results were declared on 4 June, the exam has come under scrutiny for reasons ranging from errors in the question paper and grace marks (compensatory marks) being given in a faulty manner to allegations of paper leaks and fraud. Students and parents have demanded a re-test and dozens of petitions have been filed in courts to this end.
NTA officials have denied allegations of paper leaks, but on Sunday, federal Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan admitted that “some irregularities” had come to light in certain exam centres. He said that no-one, including NTA officials, would be spared if irregularities were found.
On Tuesday, India’s top court issued a notice to the NTA, saying that even if there was “0.001% negligence on the part of anyone it should be thoroughly dealt with” but all this is small consolation for students who spend months or even years preparing for this highly competitive exam.
