2 weeks ago
NTA cancels UGC-NET papers for three subjects amid error allegations
There is a big test in India called the UGC-NET that students take to become teachers or researchers.
This year, the agency that runs the test, called the NTA, made mistakes in three of the test papers.
The papers for English, commerce, and sociology had spelling errors, wrong translations, and questions that were copied from an older test.
Because of these mistakes, the NTA cancelled those three papers and said students will have to take the test again.
Many people are upset because the NTA took 47 days to tell students about the cancellation.
Some experts say the NTA broke its own rules for making test questions.
Students think the delay happened because the government did not want more bad news about exams.
The education minister has now asked the NTA to fix its problems and check all its exam processes.
The NTA has not yet answered questions about what went wrong.
The NTA cancelled UGC-NET papers for English, commerce and sociology due to factual, typographical and translation errors and repeated questions.
The cancellations were announced 47 days after exams concluded on June 30, with provisional answer keys released for 84 of 87 subjects.
In the English paper, 67 of 150 questions were allegedly lifted from the December 2024 NET, with answer option sequences kept intact.
Experts allege the NTA violated its own question-setting protocols, which include frisking and CCTV surveillance of subject experts.
Education minister Pralhad Joshi reviewed NTA steps; more than 50 employees were removed and 10 new leadership positions advertised.
- Who
- The National Testing Agency (NTA), which cancelled the papers; students and experts who allege protocol violations
- What
- Cancellation of UGC-NET papers for English, commerce and sociology due to errors and repeated questions
- Where
- India (national-level exam conducted by the NTA)
- When
- Announced on Sunday, 47 days after exams concluded on June 30
- Why
- The papers contained factual, typographical and translation errors, including misspelt scholar names and repeated questions
Critics and students
NTA and education ministry
Delay in announcing cancellations
Critics and students
Students allege the delay was due to government pressure, as another exam fiasco would have compounded problems during the Parliament session and Jantar Mantar protests.
NTA and education ministry
The NTA has not responded to the allegations; the education ministry says it reviewed steps and asked for a thorough audit of exam processes.
Handling of exam errors
Critics and students
Experts say the NTA violated its own question-setting protocols and should be shut down by the Supreme Court.
NTA and education ministry
The ministry says corrective actions are underway, including removing over 50 employees and hiring domain specialists.
Key facts
- Exam
- UGC-NET (National Eligibility Test)
- Cancelled subjects
- English, Commerce, Sociology
- Subjects with answer keys released
- 84 of 87
- Days between exam end and cancellation
- 47
- Exam conclusion date
- June 30
- Repeated questions in English paper
- 67 of 150, allegedly from December 2024 NET
- Employees removed from NTA
- More than 50
- New leadership positions advertised
- 10
Quotes
Rajeev Kumar
Retired IIT Kharagpur professor of computer science and NET question-setting expert
“The NTA clearly failed its own protocols. When numerous questions are directly lifted from previous years’ papers, it raises serious questions about whether the prescribed safeguards were followed. The basic spelling errors in the names of eminent scholars suggest the selection of substandard experts.”
telegraphindia.com











