Parashar began the session by saying that the introduction of CUET should not be seen as taking away from the importance of schools or class 12 examinations.
A senior National Testing Agency (NTA) official spoke to hundreds of school administrators on Thursday to apprise them of the common entrance exam for Central universities, and told them that it would not take away from the importance of senior secondary schooling.
Dr Sadhana Parashar, senior director (examinations) at the NTA, walked heads of schools through the registration process of the Common Universities Entrance Test (CUET) and the subjects students need to opt for to be eligible for the programmes of their choice in universities. The session, aimed at enabling school administrators to help students through the new admission process for universities, was organised by Action Committee Unaided Recognised Private Schools — an umbrella body of private schools in India — as well as Indraprastha School Complex and Delhi Sahodaya Schools Complex.
Parashar began the session by saying that the introduction of CUET should not be seen as taking away from the importance of schools or class 12 examinations. “I would like to say that the CUET is completely designed based on the syllabus of just grade 12. So it is nowhere taking away from the board exam. In fact, it is supplementing. And the only reason the ministry has got this into being is not just because it was part of the National Education Policy, but because there was so much of variation across the boards in the country in terms of the way the evaluation was done, the way the question papers were made, (and) the typology of the questions. So, sometimes, meritorious students got left behind…” she said.
She also told school authorities that the reduction in pressure on students to score very high marks in board exams could be seen as an opportunity.
Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges.
Expertise and Experience
Ethnic & Social Dynamics: Deep-dive coverage of regional conflicts (such as the crisis in Manipur) and peace-building efforts.
Border & Geopolitics: Tracking developments along India’s international borders and their impact on local communities.
Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the implementation of central schemes in the North East.
Specialized Education Background: Prior to her current role, Sukrita was a dedicated Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi. This experience provided her with a sharp analytical lens for:
Policy Analysis: Evaluating the National Education Policy (NEP) and university-level reforms.
Student Affairs: Covering high-stakes stories regarding campus politics, national entrance exams, and the challenges within the primary and secondary education sectors. ... Read More
2 min read
