New Delhi, Amid the continuing controversy surrounding the exams conducted by the NTA, Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas on Friday wrote to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, expressing concern over the NEET and UGC-NET exams. and alleging saffronization of education under the BJP-led government.
In his letter to Pradhan, CPI(M) MP Brittas urged him to discontinue the centralized NEET, limiting its scope to central medical institutions like AIIMS, PGIMER and JIPMER. He also called for a comprehensive review of NET to restore autonomy to universities and maintain academic standards and transparency.
He criticized NEET and UGC-NET, highlighting issues like leaking of question papers, arbitrary awarding of grace marks and "saffronization" of exam content.
“It is the need of the hour to discontinue the centralized NEET, limiting its scope to central medical institutions like AIIMS, PGIMER, JIPMER, etc. Similarly, it is also imperative to have a comprehensive review of the NET to restore the autonomy of universities and maintain academic standards and transparency," Brittas said.
"States and universities are best positioned to address the diverse educational needs and challenges of their students. Allowing them to administer their own exams will ensure a more equitable, contextualized, and effective testing process," he said in the letter.
The Rajya Sabha MP underlined the "detrimental impact" of these exams on the federal structure and autonomy of state educational institutions, while pointing out the "disproportionate favouritism" of NEETs towards the CBSE syllabus to the disadvantage of students of the state boards and the economically weaker sectors. , the promotion of costly additional training and the consequent erosion of equal educational opportunities.
He criticized the recent UGC decision mandating use of NET scores for PhD admissions from academic session 2024-25 onwards, replacing entrance tests conducted by various central, state, private and deemed universities.
Expressing concern over the "saffronization" of education, he mentioned recent NET questions on performing arts, which included contents such as the Pran Prathishta date of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the composition of 'Prasthan Trayi' of Hindu philosophy, the appearance of Lord Hanuman in Ramacharit Manas and the beheading of a warrior in the Mahabharata who remained alive to witness the Kurukshetra war.
The UGC canceled the UGC-NET exam on Wednesday, a day after it was held.
The UGC-NET is a test to determine the eligibility of Indian citizens for grant of Junior Research Scholarship for appointment as Assistant Professors and admission to PhDs in Indian Universities and Colleges.
The ministry's decision comes amid a massive dispute in the NEET medical entrance exam over alleged irregularities, and the matter is now before the Supreme Court.
NEET is a nationwide entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission into undergraduate medical programmes.
In his letter to Pradhan, CPI(M) MP Brittas urged him to discontinue the centralized NEET, limiting its scope to central medical institutions like AIIMS, PGIMER and JIPMER. He also called for a comprehensive review of NET to restore autonomy to universities and maintain academic standards and transparency.
He criticized NEET and UGC-NET, highlighting issues like leaking of question papers, arbitrary awarding of grace marks and "saffronization" of exam content.
“It is the need of the hour to discontinue the centralized NEET, limiting its scope to central medical institutions like AIIMS, PGIMER, JIPMER, etc. Similarly, it is also imperative to have a comprehensive review of the NET to restore the autonomy of universities and maintain academic standards and transparency," Brittas said.
"States and universities are best positioned to address the diverse educational needs and challenges of their students. Allowing them to administer their own exams will ensure a more equitable, contextualized, and effective testing process," he said in the letter.
The Rajya Sabha MP underlined the "detrimental impact" of these exams on the federal structure and autonomy of state educational institutions, while pointing out the "disproportionate favouritism" of NEETs towards the CBSE syllabus to the disadvantage of students of the state boards and the economically weaker sectors. , the promotion of costly additional training and the consequent erosion of equal educational opportunities.
He criticized the recent UGC decision mandating use of NET scores for PhD admissions from academic session 2024-25 onwards, replacing entrance tests conducted by various central, state, private and deemed universities.
Expressing concern over the "saffronization" of education, he mentioned recent NET questions on performing arts, which included contents such as the Pran Prathishta date of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the composition of 'Prasthan Trayi' of Hindu philosophy, the appearance of Lord Hanuman in Ramacharit Manas and the beheading of a warrior in the Mahabharata who remained alive to witness the Kurukshetra war.
The UGC canceled the UGC-NET exam on Wednesday, a day after it was held.
The UGC-NET is a test to determine the eligibility of Indian citizens for grant of Junior Research Scholarship for appointment as Assistant Professors and admission to PhDs in Indian Universities and Colleges.
The ministry's decision comes amid a massive dispute in the NEET medical entrance exam over alleged irregularities, and the matter is now before the Supreme Court.
NEET is a nationwide entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission into undergraduate medical programmes.
