As NET is cancelled, chorus from those who took the exam: ‘They are playing with people’s lives’

“When I came to Delhi, I used to hear stories that the computer-based exam of the UGC-NET had more chances of paper leaks or fraud… But this time, it was a pen and paper test conducted by the NTA (National Testing Agency), which gave me hope that there will be fairness. That faith was misplaced,” Abhishek told The Indian Express. While he’s already a PhD student at Delhi University, Abhishek is hoping to secure a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) on the basis of his NET performance. Without it, he would find it difficult to finish his course.

In Thiruvananthapuram, Sooraj Elamon (24) too is in a similar dilemma. Like Abhishek, his future too hinges on the NET exam and JRF.

“I spent the last two months preparing for this examination, and now all of a sudden, they have cancelled it,” 24-year-old Sooraj Elamon, a PhD student at Jamia Millia Islamia, said. “There is a serious lack of clarity about what is going to happen next. The student community is anxious right now.”

‘No jobs, and exams getting cancelled’

The Indian Express spoke to students who took the exam across the country – from the national capital to the financial capital, from the Northeast to the South – and found that anxiety about the future was a common theme.

In Assam’s Karimganj, Shahid Ahmed (24), a teacher at a local school, was especially upset because he struggled to get to his exam centre in Guwahati, some 300 kilometres away. This was his second attempt at taking the test, and he had spent Rs 3,500 on travel alone.

“I had booked a bus to travel to the city on the 16th but the bus was delayed because of landslides along the route. Because I couldn’t keep waiting, I booked a train and reached Guwahati on June 17 morning and wrote the exam. It went well, I had prepared extensively. And then, all of a sudden, it was cancelled,” he said. “They are playing with people’s lives.”

In Kolkata, Ananya Mukherjee (24) said uncertainty over the exams had affected her mental health. Ananya, who is from Chittaranjan in West Burdwan district, has a masters’ degree in linguistics from University in Kolkata and was working towards pursuing a PhD.

“I don’t know what to do now. This comes as a shock. This was my second time sitting for the exam. I don’t know if we will be allowed to appear again,” she said.

Mouli Saha, who wanted to do a PhD in history, too stares at an uncertain future. Like Ananya, Mouli, who’s from Nowda in Murshidabad and has a masters’ degree in history from Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) in Kolkata, said the news has affected her mental health.

“Since last night, I’ve been depressed. I can’t concentrate on anything. NTA has become a ‘Not Trustworthy Agency’. On one hand, there are no jobs in the market and on the other, exams are getting cancelled,” she said.

‘Shameful’

In Pune, another aspirant, Divya Kerkar, isn’t surprised at the news but believes that the central government could have declared their suspicions over the exams sooner.

“After the NEET exam issue, I suspected there might be problems with the NET exam too, and it was finally cancelled… After enduring a tough, competitive exam, the government declared it holds no value now,” Divya said, adding that she would take the test whenever it’s rescheduled.

In Chandel Village in North Goa’s Pernem, the government’s decision has left Chaitanya Gawas fuming. Like many fellow aspirants, Gawas, who just completed his MA in April, had to travel 80 kilometres to take the test, and now demands a thorough investigation into the allegations of paper leak.

“It’s shameful that such a prominent organisation continues to make repeated mistakes,” he said. “There’s no information about when the exam will be rescheduled. The exam fees are high; will those who took the exam be allowed to retake it for free? When will the next exam be held? NTA needs to provide answers promptly.”