UGC NET Paper Leak Spurs Government Action: High Level Reform Panel Announced

The question paper leak of the UGC NET June 2024 has been dubbed an ‘institutional failure’ of the National Testing Agency (NTA), and the government will establish a high level committee to investigate the issue and recommend reforms, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced on Thursday, as per the PTI. This announcement comes amidst ongoing controversy over the medical entrance exam NEET and the cancellation of UGC NET.

"The cancellation of UGC-NET was not a knee-jerk reaction. We got proofs that the paper had leaked on darknet and was circulating on Telegram and decided to cancel the exam," Pradhan stated during a press conference.

Pradhan elaborated that the government will form a high level committee aimed at recommending improvements to the NTA's structure, functioning, examination process, transparency, and data security protocols. "Zero-error testing is our commitment. The panel will be notified soon, it will also have global experts," he added.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR on Thursday concerning the UGC NET paper leak case against unidentified individuals following a reference from the Union Education Ministry.

Officials noted that the CBI will collaborate closely with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and employ darknet exploration software to identify the culprits. The Education Ministry's complaint, supported by I4C inputs, indicated a potential compromise in the examination's integrity.

The FIR highlights offenses under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code.

Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Pradhan commented, “In a democracy, everyone has their views. It is our job to listen to everyone. Our responsibility is to run a process-driven government, it is our responsibility to speak the truth and accept truth. Few students have doubts about NTA (National Testing Agency) and we will have to accept this."

The UGC-NET 2024 exam, conducted by the NTA on June 18 across the country, aimed to select junior research fellows, assistant professors, and PhD scholars.