CUET UG 2024: Assam Government writes to NTA about distant centres for Barak Valley students

NEW DELHI: The Assam government has written to the National Testing Agency, raising the issue of students from the Barak Valley – Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi – who have been assigned CUET exam centres as far away as Guwahati, Agartala (in Tripura) and Shillong (Meghalaya) for their Bengali and environmental sciences exams. The Common University Entrance Test (CUET UG 2024) for admission at the undergraduate level in central universities began on May 15.

Ranoj Pegu, Cabinet Minister for Higher Education from the Government of Assam, wrote on X that their department has written to the NTA on this issue, and he also spoke to SK Singh, the director general, in person. The NTA promised to resolve this soon, according to the minister.

“The Assam Govt has taken up the issue of CUET Exam Centre in Barak Valley for Bengali and EVS subjects. The Education Deptt has written a letter to NTA, and I have personally spoken to the Director General Sri S K Singh. NTA assured me of a solution soon,” Pegu wrote on X.

CUET 2024: Distant exam centres

The letter, dated May 20, shows that the request was initiated by Shri Nayan Kumar Pathak, the joint secretary of the higher education department from the Government of Assam. It highlights the challenges faced by students from the districts of Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi in Barak Valley.

Currently, students are forced to travel to Agartala, Shillong, and Guwahati for exams. The minister requested adding an exam centre in Silchar to overcome this issue and provide convenience for the students. The Assam Education Department is awaiting a positive response from the NTA.

Earlier, the Meghalaya government also said it will write to the NTA about chaos in the organisation of CUET at the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) which was suddenly assigned more students than it was prepared for and fell short of biometric scanners.

CUET 2024 had been plagued by chaos and controversy. First, students struggled to access the CUET 2024 admit cards online and later, many discovered their exam centres had changed. Many complained of chaos and mismanagement at the exam centres as well.