CBSE NET exam 2017 July: Test scrapped, students in frenzy, no clarification from UGC yet
The CBSE’s notification about forgoing the NET in July this year has ruined many candidates’ plans.
Amish Verma, a student of MA History at Delhi University, was set for his first attempt at clearing the National
Eligibility Test (NET) this July. However, on June 6, a notification on the CBSE NET website announcing that the next examination would be held in November hampered his plan.
“The NET is not an easy exam to clear; it takes multiple efforts. If I took it in July, I would have got some practice, if nothing else. I need the fellowship to able to continue studying; my family won’t support me for long,” said the student from Lucknow.
A UGC source, meanwhile, said, “No decision has been taken yet to make NET an annual exam. It’s still being discussed. The July round had to be scrapped because the results of the previous NET exam were delayed due to a court case.”
Protest against cancellation of exam scheduled for June-July
The All-India Students’ Association (AISA) protested outside the University Grants Commission (UGC) office on Wednesday despite heavy police presence. The students were demonstrating against cancellation of the National Eligibility Test (NET), that was to be held in June-July.
In a notification dated June 6, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which conducts the NET, said that the next examination would be held on November 19.
This was followed by protests from aspirants, who said that the UGC was “backstabbing” them by not conducting the bi-annual exam in July.
‘UGC not consulted’
“The June-July NET was skipped without any notice. This, despite the acting chairperson promising in April that it would be held. Also, there have been reports that the number of NET qualifiers will be reduced from 15% to 6%. The government is trying to reduce scholarships using these means,” said AISA national president Sucheta De.
UGC Additional Secretary Pankaj Mittal, who met AISA representatives, said the matter was between the CBSE and the Ministry of Human Resource Development, and that the UGC had not been consulted.
“The chairperson sent the Additional Secretary to spread more lies. It was absurd when he said that the UGC was not involved. How is that possible? Moreover, she said that the July examination will be held, but we still don’t have any notification,” added Ms. De.
Candidates who qualify the NET are eligible to work as assistant professors. With the examination becoming an annual affair, aspirants voiced despair.
“Aspirants may lose year”
“I was supposed to appear for the NET in July. The only reason my family let me pursue higher education was the hope that the scholarship would help me with research. It is a life-and-death situation for me. It will affect my employment opportunities,” said Aman Sinha, who hails from Bihar’s Muzaffarpur and is pursuing M.A. History from JNU.
“I was planning to appear for this year’s NET and undertake research. This new decision has disrupted my plan. It is difficult to understand the ideology of the government. Without scholarship money, how do they expect poor students to sustain themselves?” said Mohd. Tahir from Bulandshahr.
“I was prepared for two exams in a year. An annual examination would mean that if I don’t qualify now, I will lose a year,” said Mohd. Asif from Muzaffarnagar, who is pursuing M.A. from Aligarh Muslim University.
“We have given the UGC a week to respond to our queries. If they fail to do so, we will carry out militant protests” added Ms. De.
CBSE UGC NET 2017 July Session Exam Cancelled | Here’s Why Students Are Protesting
After delaying the UGC NET notification for more than two months, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) released details of next exam recently, but, again with extended dates.
CBSE UGC NET 2017, Why Protests?
Staging protests to voice their opinions as to how they felt being cheated by the end of the authorities responsible for conducting including UGC and CBSE for NET 2017 examinations, here are the reasons cited for the protests that outraged the aspirants of UGC NET 2017 examination this year.
- UGC NET 2017 notification delayed by 2 months, wasting times and efforts of many who were preparing for the exam
- Delayed notification announced recently whose official confirmation is still awaited on July 24,2017
- UGC and CBSE together blamed for the misconduct and delay in the notifications, leading to panic attacks
- Scrapping the decision of conducting the UGC NET examinations twice a year is another major issue
- Students claim the recruitment would be reduced to half if such a decision is implemented
- UGC NET 2017 supposed to be held in July 2017 is now in November 2017, delaying it by 4 months
- Student associations claim ‘no policy document’ has been issued to enforce such decisions which are done abruptly
Curtailing the bi-annual affair of conducting UGC NET every year, the students agitate against the decision of making it an annual affair. NEET 2017, BSEB 2017, CBSE results, Class 12th Policy, Delayed notifications, etc. to name a few controversies that engulfed the morale of lacs of well-deserved candidates.
