-Abhishek Vij
The complexity of the UGC NEET exam paper leak issue is no secret. Protests at Jantar Mantar, demonstrations, Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike, and the resignation of the Education Minister. Following this, students in Jharkhand have been on hunger strikes and protesting against exam irregularities, and the JNU protests are still demanding transparency in the examination system. This demand is not unjustified, as errors and ambiguities have been found in the question papers of the UGC-NET exam held in June, two months later.
The UGC has now cancelled the exams for three subjects: English, Commerce, and Sociology, after errors were found in the question papers. The question papers will now be re-prepared, and exams for all three subjects will be held on September 9th and 10th. After the exam, numerous complaints were received regarding flaws in the English, Commerce, and Sociology papers. An expert committee was formed to investigate the matter. The investigation revealed errors in the question papers for all three subjects. Who is responsible for this? The National Testing Agency certainly bears responsibility for this chaos and discrepancy. Furthermore, the teachers who set the papers cannot be blamed.
Times are changing, and it seems their seriousness and efficiency are declining. The role of teachers and coaching institutes has also been exposed in the paper leak that occurred during the NEET exam. This is a sad situation in itself and reveals the lack of dedicated scholars. Meanwhile, the shortcomings of the Gen-Alpha education system are well known. In some places, there are insufficient teachers and proper buildings for adequate numbers. In others, corrupt contractors under the Midday Meal Scheme are ruining students’ health by serving substandard food. A bird’s eye view of the entire situation reveals a complete breakdown of the entire structure.
We proudly proclaim that primary schools now boast 100% enrollment, but by eighth and ninth grade, dropout rates are rising. Those who later graduate from college with traditional degrees in the old science and arts faculties are unable to secure adequate employment. In a changing world, their dissatisfaction with this education system doesn’t seem out of place. New Education Minister Prahlad Joshi has ordered an investigation and appropriate action into the irregularities in the NET exam. While investigations and action orders are always issued, why aren’t fundamental changes being made to the education system? The Planning Commission and now the NITI Aayog have consistently stated that 6 percent of total GDP should be spent on education.
However, this amount has never exceeded 1.5 to 4 percent. The NTA has to conduct everything from paper setting to examination through a contract system, and it has repeatedly failed. Education experts believe that our education system is unable to keep up with the changing digital landscape. Private sector contracting has failed in the examination system. Neither are expert teachers emerging to adapt to the times, nor are students and their parents willing to abandon shortcuts. This is why leaked papers are being traded for lakhs of rupees, and the failure of the examination system is repeatedly evident.
Education Minister Prahlad Joshi and the country’s education regulators should fully understand this situation, develop an adequate and appropriate framework for the changed education system, and when national-level examinations are to be conducted, establish a fixed, regular, and permanent system for them. Otherwise, examinations will continue to fail, trapped in the web of private contractors, and students will continue to protest in depression.