New Delhi, June 20: The Chairman of the Markazi Taleemi Board (MTB), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Prof. Salim Engineer, has called for accountability following the abrupt cancellation of the UGC-NET 2024 exam by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
In a statement to the media, Prof. Salim Engineer expressed grave concern over the decision, describing it as a “serious blunder” by the NTA that has the potential to affect the future of thousands of students across the country. “The incompetence of the NTA is very apparent as they have botched up the NEET(UG) 2024 examination also,” he stated. “Why was the NET exam cancelled for all the students? When every exam centre is under CCTV surveillance and monitored so strictly, why couldn’t the specific centres (which reported problems) be identified? Re-examination should be held for those students only and not the entire student community that appeared for the exam.”
Prof. Salim Engineer criticized the NTA, which was established in 2017 by the NDA government, for its failure to uphold examination standards. He called for the Education Minister and the NTA Chairman to be held accountable for this failure.
“The government must own responsibility for jeopardizing the future of so many students. Markazi Taleemi Board demands a high-level inquiry into the NET exam cancellation, the report of which should be made public,” he demanded.
The MTB Chairman also urged the government to provide a clear and detailed explanation for the cancellation, rather than using vague phrases such as “integrity of the exam was compromised.”
He insisted that the Education Minister and the NTA Chairman address the issue in an open press conference to restore public trust.
Prof. Salim Engineer further criticized the “One nation – one exam” policy, calling it a “big failure” and advocating for the decentralization of exams, suggesting they be conducted through state governments instead.
“The NTA has totally failed in administering them on such a huge scale. MTB urges the government to decentralize these exams and conduct them through state governments,” he added.
The Markazi Taleemi Board emphasized the need for urgent steps to restore faith in the examination system and to punish those found guilty of irregularities and malpractices.
Prof. Salim Engineer concluded, “MTB demands that the government take urgent steps to restore faith in the examination system and punish those found guilty of irregularities and malpractices.”
