Asaduddin Owaisi, president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday over the boiling issue surrounding the National Testing Agency (NTA) in the aftermath of paper-leak claims and examination cancellations.
The controversy centers around the National Testing Agency (NTA), which has faced scrutiny over alleged paper leaks and exam cancellations. Asaduddin Owaisi emphasized that the responsibility lies with Modi and his ministers, asserting that our youth deserve an apology and justice from the government.
In a post on X, Asaduddin Owaisi accused “exam warrior” Narendra Modi of waging a war on the future of the youth of this country.
“Exam warrior” @narendramodi has waged a war on our youth’s future. First it was NEET UG (~23 lakh students), then UGC-NET (~9 lakh students). Then CSIR-NET was cancelled (~2 lakh students). NEET-PG (~2 lakh) was cancelled a night before the exam. The responsibility lies with…
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 23, 2024
Asaduddin Owaisi further stated that the responsibility for the disparities and purported paper leaks lies with PM Modi and his cabinet.
“‘Exam warrior’ Narendra Modi has declared war on our youth’s future. Initially, over 23 lakh students participated in NEET UG, followed by approximately 9 lakh in UGC-NET. The CSIR-NET program was canceled, affecting around 2 lakh students. “The NEET-PG (~2 lakh) exam was cancelled the night before,” said Asaduddin Owaisi on X.
“The responsibility falls on Modi and his cabinet. “Our youth deserve an apology from the Prime Minister and justice from his government.”
Asaduddin Owaisi raised about the National Testing Agency (NTA), which administers admission and recruiting exams.
The examination body is under fire for alleged irregularities during the National Eligibility and Entrance Test for Undergraduate Programs (NEET-UG) this year, the cancellation of the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) due to a paper leak on darknet, and the postponement of the CSIR-UGC-NET.
The Ministry of Education announced the formation of a high-level expert group to offer suggestions on revisions to the examination process mechanism, data security procedures, and the operation of the NTA. The seven-member group, led by former ISRO chairman Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, will give its report to the government within the next two months.
Recent updates related to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for which Asaduddin Owaisi remarked:
- NEET-UG Retest:
- The National Testing Agency (NTA) decided to re-conduct the NEET-UG 2024 exam for 1,563 students who were previously awarded grace marks. These candidates will have the option to reappear for the exam on June 23, and the results will be declared before June 30.
- The controversy arose after a large number of NEET-UG 2024 candidates performed exceptionally well, with 67 students securing a perfect score of 720/720.
- NEET-PG Exam Postponement:
- The NEET-PG exam faced an abrupt postponement, causing distress among candidates. The NTA received criticism for the last-minute decision.
- UGC-NET June 2024 Examination Cancellation:
- The UGC-NET June 2024 examination, conducted by the NTA, was cancelled due to concerns about exam integrity. A new exam will be scheduled, and the matter has been referred to the CBI for investigation.
What is the NEET controversy?
NEET-UG 2024 controversy has sparked heated debates and protests among students and parents. Here are the key points:
- Grace Marks: The controversy centers around the awarding of grace marks to more than 1,500 students who took the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) this year. These grace marks were given to students who faced difficulties due to certain irregularities during the exam.
- Perfect Scores: An unusually high number of students achieved full marks (720 out of 720) in the NEET-UG 2024 results. This raised suspicions and led to demands for a re-examination.
- Leaked Question Paper: Allegations emerged that the NEET-UG question paper was leaked at certain exam centers. Aspirants and parents demanded a thorough investigation and a fair retest.
- Supreme Court Decision: The Centre proposed a retest for the affected students, which is scheduled for June 23. The Supreme Court decided not to halt the admissions counseling process. If any of the 1,563 candidates opt out of the retest, their previous marks (without grace marks) will be used for the result.
Asaduddin Owaisi commented on UGC-NET exam recently stirred controversy due to alleged paper leaks.
- The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the UGC-NET exam in a pen-and-paper format, a departure from previous years.
- Approximately 81% of the 11.21 lakh registered candidates appeared for the exam across 317 cities in India.
- However, the integrity of the exam was reportedly compromised, leading to its cancellation by the Ministry of Education.
- Inputs from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit raised concerns, prompting the cancellation.
- The Ministry announced that a fresh examination would be conducted, and the matter was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (C.B.I.) for thorough investigation.
- The UGC-NET exam assesses Indian nationals for eligibility as ‘Assistant Professor’ and for ‘Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professor’ roles in universities and colleges.
- This cancellation impacts thousands of aspirants across the country, and the situation is being closely monitored.
What is NTA?
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is an autonomous organization under the Department of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education in India. It was established in November 2017 with the purpose of conducting entrance examinations for admissions and recruitment. The NTA is responsible for organizing various national-level exams, including the UGC-NET (University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test).The primary objective of NTA is to reduce the examination stress and promote a more efficient and transparent testing process.
