OBC students write to Dharmendra Pradhan over CUET, NEET, UGC-NET exam transparency, delays

NEW DELHI: The All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA) has written to the minister of education, Dharmendra Pradhan, highlighting issues concerning the governance and conduct of national-level examinations such as the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), NEET, and UGC-NET.

The letter addresses disparities in the current admission processes, delays in examinations, and the need for greater transparency and accountability in the education system.

Key issues raised by AIOBCSA

In its letter, AIOBCSA emphasized the urgent need for reforms in the conduct and governance of national examinations. The association detailed several challenges faced by students and proposed actionable solutions to address these issues:

• CUET for private universities: AIOBCSA pointed out that while CUET is mandatory for admissions in central and state universities, private universities are not required to adopt the same standard. This creates an imbalance in the uniformity of the admission process. The AIOBCSA has urged the ministry to mandate CUET scores for private universities to establish a ‘level playing field’ for all students and institutions.

• Delays in national examinations: Highlighting the recurring delays in CUET, NEET, and UGC-NET, AIOBCSA emphasized the cascading effects these delays have on the academic calendar, disrupting admissions, teaching schedules, and student progression. The association called for concrete measures to ensure timely conduct of these examinations to uphold the integrity of the academic calendar.

• Transparency and accountability: The association states that instances of technical glitches, mismanagement, and poor communication during national-level examinations have caused stress for students. AIOBCSA urged the ministry to implement robust mechanisms to ensure transparency, including stricter protocols for examination conduct and real-time grievance redressal systems.

• Wider stakeholder consultation: AIOBCSA called on the University Grants Commission (UGC) to adopt a participatory approach by consulting students, faculty, and academic experts before introducing changes to examination systems. They emphasized that such consultations would ensure inclusivity and address the genuine concerns of stakeholders.

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• National task force and grievance redressal portal: To address systemic issues in examination processes, AIOBCSA proposed the formation of a national-level independent task force. This body would monitor the examination process, identify challenges, and recommend solutions. Additionally, the association suggested establishing a national grievance redressal portal to resolve student complaints efficiently.

Call for reform

In its letter, AIOBCSA emphasized that addressing these issues would enhance the credibility and efficiency of the national examination system while ensuring equity and inclusivity for students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

“We believe that addressing these issues will significantly enhance the credibility and efficiency of the national examination system, ensuring that it serves the interests of students from all socio-economic backgrounds,” the letter stated.