CUET doesn't infringe upon rights of states: Dharmendra Pradhan to TN minister

NEW DELHI: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday wrote to Tamil Nadu higher education minister K Ponmudy, asserting that the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) does not infringe upon the rights of the States and Union Territories.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly on April 12 adopted a resolution tabled by chief minister MK Stalin urging the Centre to drop the test. "Education being matter of Concurrent list enables the central government also to take measures for development of education in the country," Pradhan said. "The CUET aims at eliminating the need for taking coaching, offers choice of 13 languages as the medium and reduces financial burden while increasing access," he added.

The Union minister contended that as against the summative assessment which encourages the coaching culture, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasises formative assessment.

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"The exam is in the interest of the disadvantaged groups. Students may apply to more than one university according to their choice with one application form, thereby reducing financial burden and increasing access. "They have the choice to appear in the entrance exam in any of the 13 languages with a choice of selecting examination centres from hundreds of examination centres across the country... here is no case for infringing upon the rights of the States/ UTs…" Pradhan added.

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