Archive · 19 Aug 2026
NET Retests Delay PhD Admissions After Paper Cancellations
The National Eligibility Test, or NET, is important for students who want to pursue PhDs.
The English, commerce and sociology exams were cancelled because the papers contained several mistakes.
Some questions were also repeated from earlier papers.
New exams are planned for September 9 and 10.
Students had expected to use the time after NET to prepare research proposals.
Instead, many had to keep studying for the retest.
This leaves them less time to prepare for PhD interviews.
The NTA says it is changing its exam team and adding more checks to prevent similar problems.
The NTA cancelled English, commerce and sociology NET papers after multiple factual, typographical and translation errors.
The agency scheduled retests for the three subjects on September 9 and 10.
Candidates said retest preparations have delayed work on research proposals required for PhD applications.
NET scores account for 70 percent of PhD selection weightage, with interviews accounting for 30 percent.
The NTA announced a four-tier paper-checking system, staff changes and tighter security after the errors.
- Who
- Candidates for the English, commerce and sociology National Eligibility Test papers, the National Testing Agency, and PhD admissions institutions.
- What
- Three NET papers were cancelled and rescheduled after errors and repeated questions, delaying candidates’ PhD preparation.
- When
- The retests are scheduled for September 9 and 10; the NTA announced administrative changes at a meeting held later on Tuesday.
- Where
- The examinations and admissions process concern candidates and institutions in India.
- Why
- The papers were cancelled because of factual, typographical and translation errors, as well as repeated questions reportedly drawn from previous years’ papers.
Candidates and Faculty Concerns
NTA’s Administrative Response
Effect on PhD preparation
Candidates and Faculty Concerns
Candidates and a central-university professor said retest preparation has delayed research proposals and could hurt interview performance.
NTA’s Administrative Response
The NTA focused on conducting retests and strengthening its examination procedures after the cancelled papers.
Responsibility for exam quality
Candidates and Faculty Concerns
The cancellations were seen as creating uncertainty for students who had already prepared for admissions.
NTA’s Administrative Response
NTA director-general Abhishek Singh said the exam team was being revamped, with experts removed and replacements brought in.
Preventing future errors
Candidates and Faculty Concerns
Students’ experience indicated that existing checks had not prevented factual, typographical, translation or repeated-question errors.
NTA’s Administrative Response
The NTA announced four-tier paper scrutiny, new premises with tighter security and additional officials.
- Cancelled papers
- English, commerce and sociology
- Retest dates
- September 9 and 10
- PhD selection weighting
- 70% NET score and 30% interview
- Main candidate concern
- Less time to prepare research proposals and PhD interviews
- Question-paper reform
- A four-tier checking system will be introduced
- Staff changes
- About 600 experts were removed and replacements brought in
- Planned recruitment
- 20-25 officials are expected to join within two to three weeks