The Ministry of Education announced the cancellation of the UGC-NET June 2024 Examination on Wednesday, following reports that the integrity of the exam may have been compromised. The examination, which was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on June 18, 2024, in OMR (pen and paper) mode across various cities, is now under scrutiny by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The decision to cancel the exam comes in the wake of inputs from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, suggesting potential breaches in the examination’s security. The Ministry of Education has confirmed that a fresh examination will be scheduled, with details to be announced separately.
This cancellation follows allegations of question paper leaks in states such as Bihar and other irregularities associated with the prestigious NEET examination. These allegations have sparked protests in several cities and led to petitions being filed in various high courts, including the Supreme Court.
The opposition has seized this opportunity to criticize the government. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge described the cancellation as a defeat of the Modi government’s “arrogance” and condemned their attempt to jeopardize the future of the youth. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attributed the issue to the “corruption” within the BJP government and called for accountability from the Education Minister.
“The laxity and corruption of the BJP government is fatal for the youth. After the news of scam in NEET exam, now the NET exam to be held on 18th June has also been cancelled due to the fear of irregularities. Will accountability be fixed now? Will the education minister take responsibility for this lax system?” Vadra questioned in a post on X.
Adding to the opposition’s chorus, Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram demanded the cancellation of the NEET exam, citing its compromised integrity. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticized the NTA’s repeated failures in conducting fair examinations, calling it an education emergency that burdens students with immense mental pressure.
On the other hand, BJP leader Amit Malviya defended the government’s decision, emphasizing their proactive approach in cancelling the compromised NET exam. He assured that the government is committed to protecting students’ interests and promised further action regarding the NEET (UG) exam upon receiving a report from the Economic Offences Unit of the Bihar Police.
