UGC-NET Cancellation: CBI Files FIR In Alleged 'Paper Leak' Case; Education Ministry To Announce Fresh Exam Dates Soon

In response to concerns over the integrity of the UGC NET exam, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has disclosed that fresh examination dates will soon be released after the cancellation of the previous test.

Just a day after the cancellation, officials from the Education Ministry confirmed on Thursday that while no specific complaints were lodged regarding the exam, measures were taken to safeguard the interests of students based on available information.

The UGC NET examination, spanning 1,205 centers in 317 cities and involving over 11 lakh candidates, was abruptly cancelled the day after it was conducted.

The decision was made late Wednesday night following indications received by the National Testing Agency (NTA) suggesting possible compromises during the exam held on June 18.

In a press conference on Thursday, Govind Jaiswal, Joint Secretary of the MoE said, "The ministry saw that there was a chance that the examination had been compromised. The ministry has decided to cancel the examination. The next date will be declared soon. The matter has been referred to the CBI..."

Education Ministry Joint Secretary Govind Jaiswal said the details of the inputs cannot be shared as the matter has been referred to the CBI and is currently under investigation.

"No complaints were received but the inputs we received from agencies indicated that the integrity of the exam has been compromised. The action was taken suo motu to safeguard interests of the students," he said.

"A fresh date for the exam will be announced soon," Jaiswal told reporters.

The ministry on Wednesday cancelled UGC-NET conducted by the National Testing Agency following inputs that the integrity of the examination may have been compromised.

The decision by the Ministry comes amid a massive row on the medical entrance exam NEET over alleged irregularities, with the issue now before the Supreme Court.

The UGC-NET is administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA) through Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode.

Following the cancellation of the examination, opposition parties launched a vigorous criticism against the Narendra Modi government.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in a post on X wrote,"How the Modi government has ruined the country's education and recruitment system -- Paper leaks, fraud and gross irregularities in NEET, UGC-NET, CUET (Common University Entrance Test) have now been exposed. The much-publicised NRA – National Recruitment Agency is completely defunct."