NTA exam mess left Delhi University with over 1,100 vacant posts for 3 years

NEW DELHI: Long before the clamour around malpractices in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG), there were allegations of irregularities in exams conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The central exam body botched a set of recruitment exams for over a 1,000 non-teaching posts in University of Delhi so badly, DU has had to put the appointment of selected candidates on hold and recruitment has been delayed by over three years.

In February 2021, Delhi University had advertised 1,145 vacant posts across 51 cadres.

Irregularities apart, the NTA was not even able to hold exams for all the 51 cadres of posts for which Delhi University had advertised. In March 2023, close to two years after the posts were advertised, it conducted exams for only six and declared the results on July 4, 2023.

A very senior official in DU confirmed that NTA was responsible for both the delay as well as the alleged irregularities for which appointments were put on hold. Careers360 had sought a response from the National Testing Agency. This story will be updated if and when it comes.

DU non-teaching post vacancies

The advertisements issued for non-teaching posts at Delhi University were for different levels. Vacancies included the posts of medical officer, assistant registrar, security officer, professional assistant, junior assistant, laboratory assistant among several others.

The largest cohort of vacancies was for the following:

• Level-2 junior assistants: 236

• Level-1 laboratory attendants: 152

• Level-1 library attendants: 109

There were also vacancies issued for senior technical assistants at different departments – a total of 58 posts.

Until then contractual staff had been working in the posts, some for the last 20 years.

The candidates paid an amount of Rs 1,000 for the applications. For Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL), Economically Weaker Section and female candidates, the fee was Rs 800 and for Schedule Caste (SC), Schedule Tribe (ST) and people with disabilities, it was Rs 600.

The exam was notified to be held between September 15 to October 1, 2021. However, on September 9, 2021, the NTA issued a public notice and said it was being postponed due to “unavoidable circumstances”.

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NTA Exam: DU staff’s letter to education minister

The Delhi University and College Karmachari Union (DUCKU) has written to education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on June 25, 2024, on the issue.

DUCKU president Devendra Sharma told Careers360, “It is a rule that once the advertisement is issued the process has to be conducted within 18 months. However, the rule was completely violated by the NTA. We are demanding that lakhs of rupees collected as application fees should be refunded to the candidates.”

Sharma, in the letter to the minister, has also pointed out that the DU rule of giving fee relaxation for female, SC/ST, PWD candidates was also violated.

A senior DU official, on condition of anonymity said, “The NTA said they did not find time to conduct the examination. Now the 18 months period has already been completed. So a new set of advertisements needs to be issued.”

NTA: Complaint of irregularities

Out of the 51 cadres, examination was conducted for just six posts – laboratory attendant, library attendant, junior assistant, junior assistant (store), senior assistant and assistant. The exams were to be first held from March 16, 2023. Then it was postponed to March 18.

Paper I was a computer-based test. Paper II of selected candidates for the posts of junior assistant, junior assistant (store), senior assistant and assistant were to be conducted in pen and paper mode – but was never held.

It was just a single exam for the posts of library attendant and laboratory attendant – 108 and 151 candidates for the respective posts were shortlisted; 5,870 candidates for the post of junior assistant; 30 for junior assistant (store); 1,313 for senior assistant; and 2,324 for assistant were selected to appear for the second phase of the recruitment process.

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In the letter to Pradhan, DUCKU said, “There were many irregularities reported from the centres. Some candidates were moving from one computer to another, power was cut several times during the examination and some were allowed entry half an hour after the exam started. There were also allegations that some computers were running automatically while the candidates were sitting idle”.

Many of the already working candidates failed the exam when results were declared on July 4. The union held a protest with allegations of irregularities, following which the university constituted a high-powered committee headed by DU south campus director Shri Prakash Singh.

“Two meetings were held with the committee but no satisfactory reply was received …on the irregularities at the exam centre and roster violations. Yet the joining notices were sent to the selected candidates by post,” said Sharma.

Eventually, all the 259 selections were withdrawn by the university after a few days of joining. The university official said, “We found irregularities in the exam… so the selection process was put on hold.”

The union, apart from seeking a fee refund, has also demanded that a high powered inquiry committee be constituted to fix the responsibility of NTA and DU officials. A response has also been sought from NTA on the matter. The NTA is already under a review by a high-level panel.