Congress criticizes NTA over UGC-NET exam cancellations

The Congress party has criticized the central government and the National Testing Agency (NTA) following the cancellation of three UGC-NET exams held in June. The NTA decided to cancel the Sociology, English, and Commerce papers approximately two months after they were conducted due to faulty question papers and the repetition of old questions.

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi questioned whether the papers had been leaked prior to the exams and criticized the NTA for failing to take accountability. He noted that thousands of candidates who spent years preparing and incurred travel and application expenses must now repeat the process in September. Congress leaders, including Udaybhanu Chib and Dr. Chayanika Uniyal, described the issue of paper leaks as a major threat to the country, comparing it to a systemic crisis that requires urgent resolution.

Party members also raised concerns regarding the two-month delay in identifying the errors and called for accountability among NTA officials and experts. They argued that the delay impacts the academic schedules of students in various universities and emphasized the emotional and economic toll on the youth.