Lok Sabha Question No. 222 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-22
Subject: Mismanagement in Conducting Exams by NTA
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Smt. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Dr. Rani Srikumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 222 ANSWERED ON 22.07.2024

## Mismanagement in Conducting Exams by NTA

222. SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI: DR. RANI SRIKUMAR:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  exams  that  have  been  postponed  by  National  Testing  Agency  (NTA)  from  its scheduled date notified in the official notification during the last seven years, year-wise;
- (b)  the reasons for postponing many exams and the measures taken by the NTA to prevent such postponing;
- (c) whether  the  NTA  is  aware  of  the  complaints  raised  by  students  regarding  the  centres  being allotted in far-away places and inadequate infrastructures in centres for differently-abled people;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the grievance redressal mechanisms put in place to raise complaints?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a)  &  (b)  Since  its  inception  in  2018,  NTA  has  successfully  conducted  over  240  examinations involving over 5.4 crores students. Since most of the examinations conducted by NTA are held in multiple-subjects, multiple-shifts and span  over  a  number  of  days,  there  have  been  instances  due  to  unforeseen  circumstances  like COVID-19 pandemic,  logistical  and  technical  issues,  administrative  issues,  legal  orders  etc,  when

examination dates initially notified in respect of specific subjects/shifts could not be adhered to.

The  Examinations  as  a  whole  have  been  postponed  in  some  cases,  list  of  which  is  enclosed  as Annexure .

NTA has started declaration of Examination Calendar of major examinations, much in advance for the facilitation of candidates. The Examination calendar is planned taking into consideration, buffer days to accommodate for reschedules/postponements for reasons beyond the control of NTA.

(c) to (e) Centres are allotted to candidates through Computer Software as per City preference and availability of capacity in each centre. Efforts are made to allot centres in one of the city choices filledin by the candidates. However, when the number of candidates is very large, some candidates may not  be  accommodated in cities opted by them. In such cases, NTA tries to accommodate them in nearby places. While allocating centres to differently-abled candidates, due care is taken to ensure that infrastructure is Divangjan friendly.

Complaints/Grievances of candidates are received through e-mails and Help Desk phone numbers. The same are resolved in a systematic manner.

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## Annexure

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO PART (A)  &  (B)  OF  THE  REPLY  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 222 ANSWERED ON 22.07.2024 ASKED BY SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI, DR. RANI SRIKUMAR, HON'BLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING 'MISMANAGEMENT IN CONDUCTING EXAMS BY NTA'

|   S. No. |   Year | Name of the Examination                                                             | Reasons of Postponement                                                   |
|----------|--------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 |   2020 | JEE (Main) - 2020                                                                   | Due to COVID-19 Pandemic.                                                 |
|        2 |   2020 | NEET (UG) - 2020                                                                    | Due to COVID-19 Pandemic.                                                 |
|        3 |   2021 | JEE (Main)-2021                                                                     | Due to Second wave of COVID-19 Pandemic.                                  |
|        4 |   2021 | NEET (UG)-2021                                                                      | Due to Second wave of COVID-19 Pandemic.                                  |
|        5 |   2020 | CSIR-UGC NET 2020                                                                   | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and logistical challenges.                   |
|        6 |   2021 | UGC NET December 2020 and May 2021 Cycles                                           | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and logistical challenges.                   |
|        7 |   2020 | ICAR AIEEA 2020                                                                     | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and logistical issues.                       |
|        8 |   2020 | DUET 2020 (UG/PG/MPhil/Ph.D.)                                                       | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, registration process was put on hold by DU. |
|        9 |   2021 | CMAT 2021                                                                           | Due to the revision of the examination pattern by the AICTE.              |
|       10 |   2021 | AIAPGET 2021                                                                        | Due to COVID-19 pandemic.                                                 |
|       11 |   2021 | JIPMAT 2021                                                                         | Due to COVID-19 pandemic.                                                 |
|       12 |   2022 | IGNOU Ph.D Entrance Exam                                                            | Due to the Administrative reasons.                                        |
|       13 |   2023 | Graduate Aptitude Test- Biotechnology (GAT-B)/ Biotechnology Eligibility Test (BET) | As per consultation with Regional centres for Biotechnology               |
|       14 |   2024 | NCET 2024                                                                           | Due to technical issues                                                   |
|       15 |   2024 | CSIR NET 2024                                                                       | Due to logistic issues                                                    |

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