NTA to create temporary exam centres in Kashmir
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, May 19: Following intervention of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, the National Testing Agency (NTA) today deferred the scheduled Common University Entrance Test-Undergraduate (CUET-UG) to May 26 onwards in Jammu and Kashmir to ensure that candidates do not have to appear in the examination centres outside the Union Territory.
“Being sensitive to the needs of candidates and to facilitate the students of Jammu and Kashmir, the NTA is exploring the possibility of creating temporary centres in Kashmir. In view of the above, it has been decided that the CUET (UG) – 2023 will now be conducted from May 26, 2023 onwards in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir,” read the statement, issued by Dr Sadhana Parashar, Senior Director (Exams) of the NTA.
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According to the NTA, there has been a phenomenal increase in the number of registered candidates from Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory this year, which is 87,309.
“…It has been decided that the CUET (UG) – 2023 examination scheduled for 21 to 25 May 2023 is cancelled in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir,” the NTA stated.
Earlier, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha had a telephonic conversation with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today and discussed the issue of CUET aspirants in Jammu and Kashmir who have been allotted examination centres outside the Union Territory. The Union Education Minister assured that the issue would be addressed on priority.
Manoj Sinha personally took up the matter as the National Testing Agency did not respond to the earlier communication of the J&K Higher Education Department, forwarded yesterday by Director College, Prof Yasmeen Ashai explaining the difficulties being faced by the J&K students because of allotment of exam centres outside the UT.
An hour before rescheduling the CUET for the candidates of J&K, the NTA stated that it was exploring the possibility of setting up temporary exam centres in Jammu and Kashmir to accommodate candidates who have been allotted the centres outside the Union Territory.
The NTA said that though all measures have been taken to allot candidates centres in their preferred cities, there are some who have been allotted centres in neighbouring State due to the number of candidates being extremely large.
Pertinent to mention that the CUET-UG was scheduled from May 21 onwards for 14.99 lakh candidates across the country who have opted for 64.35 lakh test papers. These candidates have applied for 48,779 unique combinations of subjects. The University Grants Commission (UGC), in March last year had announced that undergraduate admissions will be conducted in all central universities through a Common Entrance Test and not based on class 12 marks.
From Jammu and Kashmir, 87309 candidates have registered themselves for the CUET-UG. However, thousands of them have been allotted online test centres outside J&K UT without their consent for the same thus putting them at great inconvenience. A number of such students from Jammu Kashmir have been allotted exam centres in Punjab, Haryana and even in Andhra Pradesh and other States. This has come as a big shock to these aspirants as they were not expecting that for a normal college admission they will have to travel beyond the city with a heavy pressure on their purse.
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