NEET, JEE, CUET aspirants protest over exam glitches, demand retest
Students across streams have organized a collective protest against the National Testing Agency (NTA) in response to persistent technical issues in admission tests such as NEET, JEE, and CUET. Several students marched to Delhi's Jantar Mantar, while others reportedly expressed their support online using the hashtag #ChaoJantarMantar. Not just students, but also education campaigners, have joined the demonstration, seeking a retest or another attempt.
Why does this story matter?
The NTA conducts three major national-level entrance exams: the Common University Entrance Test-UG (CUET-UG), the National Eligibility Cumulative Entrance Test-UG (NEET-UG), and the Joint Entrance Examination-Main (JEE Main) for admission into different colleges for students across various streams. Notably, CUET is the country's second-largest admission test after NEET-UG. It had almost 14.9 lakh registrations this year, while NEET-UG received around 18 lakh.
What are students demanding?
While NEET candidates urge another re-exam, citing irregularities in the exam and rigging of the NEET paper, JEE aspirants would like a third attempt for everyone, citing the same reasons. Those taking CUET 2022 have also requested a re-test, alleging last-minute center changes and other difficulties during testing. On social media, several students are posting photos and videos of the ongoing protests.
Here's what one student wrote on Twitter
Why are JEE aspirants demanding re-attempt?
Engineering students are requesting a third shot at the JEE Main exam, claiming that various kinds of technical difficulties hampered the exam for some participants. A few exam centers reportedly experienced technical difficulties, and students said that numerous questions for JEE Mains weren't displayed properly on the screens. Students also reportedly alleged that exams were not held in the second shift at some locations.
Details regarding the development
While some medical aspirants want the NTA to re-test the NEET in order to improve their results, many CUET candidates reportedly missed their exams owing to last-minute center adjustments and technical issues. Several of these CUET aspirants' tests have already been rescheduled by the NTA. As a result, students are now requesting that the NTA undertake a retake of all three tests this year.
Here's what AISU tweeted over the issue
Who is organizing the protest?
According to digital flyers circulating on social media, student activist Pawan Bhadana is organizing the symbolic protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar alongside the All India Students Union (AISU). Parents, educators, and students are all reportedly joining the protest in large numbers.
Other details; UGC plans to integrate NEET, JEE with CUET
NEET UG 2022 candidates also encountered challenges such as the incident of several female students in Kerala who were reportedly forced to remove their bras consisting of metal hooks before taking the exam, as well as the mix-up of English and Hindi papers at a Rajasthan center. Meanwhile, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has recently proposed combining the three exams—JEE, NEET, and CUET—into one.
'One exam, multiple opportunities'
"The proposal can integrate all these entrance examinations so that our students aren't subjected to multiple entrance examinations based on the same knowledge base. Students should have one single entrance examination, but multiple opportunities to apply among the disciplines," stated UGC chairperson M Jagdish Kumar.
