Editorial: Reform exam system

The country owes it to the candidates a zero-error testing method

There is something terribly wrong with India’s examination system. The allegations of paper leakage and serious irregularities have been plaguing the system, leading to the erosion of public faith in government agencies. After a string of flip-flops and much dilly-dallying, the Centre has finally cracked the whip and removed the chief of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and entrusted the CBI with the task of probing the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) (NEET-UG), a nationwide entrance examination conducted by the NTA for admission to undergraduate medical programmes. A committee has also been constituted to suggest an overhaul of the examination system. In fact, there is an urgent need for comprehensive reforms in the testing procedures. The NEET medical entrance exam is also under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court. In this year’s NEET-UG, a record-breaking 23 lakh candidates got themselves registered. The last-minute cancellation of the NEET-PG examination reflects an utter insensitivity on the part of the authorities. What could have been announced a day or two in advance was done just hours before the candidates were supposed to take the test. The inconvenience, hassle and mental trauma such decisions result in were hardly factored in. Earlier, the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET), for the appointment of Assistant Professors, Junior Research Fellowships and admission to PhD in universities, was cancelled just a day after it was conducted. It was not only a major embarrassment for the Centre but also a betrayal of faith reposed by lakhs of candidates across the country.

The sudden decision was attributed to the intelligence reports that the examination may have been compromised. Allegations of paper leakage marred the test for which over 11 lakh candidates had registered. Further, the CSIR-UGC-NET examination was suddenly postponed. The country owes it to the candidates a zero-error testing method and absolute integrity on the part of those responsible for the conduct of the examinations. The cases of question paper leak are not isolated, but rather part of a long history of incidents. The IIT-JEE of 1997 and the All India Pre-Medical Test of 2011 witnessed this menace. The phenomenon is seen in many States, regardless of which political party is in power. According to media reports, over the past seven years, more than 70 examination papers have been illicitly disclosed in various States, resulting in adverse consequences for the professional prospects of over 1.7 crore individuals. Instances of leaked exam papers and answer keys are frequently shared on social media platforms. Fixing inadequacies and regaining trust in the institutions is of paramount importance. The repeated breaches in the examination process are not just administrative failures but also a betrayal of the trust that students place in the system. The youth deserve a fair chance to prove their merit without the shadow of corruption.

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