NEET, CUET, UGC NET… Big question on exams, NTA may change the pattern again

This time, the exam was conducted for admission into graduate courses in the university. CUET 2024 was also conducted in hybrid mode, while in 2022 and 2023 it was conducted only in CBT mode. Now the UGC NET new date states that this paper will be again in CBT mode. The medical entrance exam paper is already in pen and paper mode.

UGC also agreed on the decision of pen-paper mode

Sources say that UGC had requested NTA to conduct CUET UG in hybrid and pen-paper mode in 2023 as well. But NTA had refused to do so that year. After that there was a change in the leadership of NTA and UGC once again insisted on conducting the exam in hybrid mode and in 2024 a large number of students took the CUET UG exam in pen-paper mode.

NTA sources say that all types of exams including JEE Main are conducted in CBT mode and there is no problem in it. A senior official says that although any exam can be rigged, but if we compare pen-paper mode and CBT, then CBT mode is more secure. Human intervention should be minimal in big exams.

Now, the NTA has released a notice to conduct the UGC NET exam, Joint CSIR-UGC NET and National Common Entrance Test (NCET) for admission to four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) in CBT mode only.

Brigadier Pradeep Kumar Upmanyu, who has been associated with the examination system at IP University for a long time and is currently a career counselor, says that the committee formed on examination reforms will have to ensure that there is no shortage of manpower in NTA and accountability of all officials is fixed. The examination process should be student-friendly and timing should be taken care of. There should also be guidelines regarding the monitoring process from registration to declaration of results.

NBT Lens: Will CUET UG also revert to CBT mode in 2025?

Given the way NTA has put UGC NET in CBT mode again, the committee will also consider whether CUET should also be put in full CBT mode again. This is also a big exam and being in pen-paper mode, there is more human intervention in it. NTA had conducted CUET in computer based mode in 2022 and 2023, the first year there were more technical problems, the second year there were fewer problems.

It is being told that the high level committee is closely studying the process of every examination conducted by NTA. WellMajor exams like JEE Main, CUET are the priority, in which more than 50 lakh students appear. The CUET result in 2024 was to be declared by June 30, but now it is bound to be delayed by at least three to four days.