Akshita Tripathi, 19, wants to study at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and become a doctor. After scoring 96.6 per cent in class 12, she spent a year to prepare for the National Eligibility-cum Entrance Test (NEET) for undergraduates, and scored 615 marks. She has decided to study harder and appear for the examination once again to improve her score. However, the controversy surrounding the exam has dented her confidence.
Arushi Bisaria wants to pursue PhD in archaeology. She had appeared for the UGC-NET June 2024 exam, which was cancelled based on inputs from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit questioning the integrity of the examination. “The problem is that PhD admissions take place in July-August. With exams cancelled, we really do not know whether we would be able to get admission in this session. We may end up losing a year,” said Arushi.
There are many more like Akshita and Arushi who have been busy chasing their dreams when all of a sudden they find themselves grappling with doubts as the reputation of the National Testing Agency (NTA) lies in tatters. With the NEET mess, the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam and the postponement of CSIR-NET and NEET-PG exams, the country’s premier examination agency has been lurching from one controversy to the next, jeopardising the future of three million students.
As soon as the NEET-UG results were announced on June 4, allegations of inflated marking and paper leaks poured in. Sixty-seven candidates secured a perfect 720/720, while many others got marks in the 718-719 range. The number of candidates who scored full marks were two, one and three, the previous three years. The NTA, which first remained in denial, later conceded that grace marks to 1,563 candidates may have resulted in inflated scores.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
