New Delhi: The Chairman of Markazi Taleemi Board (MTB), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Prof. Salim Engineer has demanded accountability for cancellation of NET exam.

In a statement to the media, the MTB Chairman said, “We are extremely concerned over the cancellation of the UGC-NET 2024 exam. This is a very serious blunder by the National Testing Agency (NTA). This cancellation is going to affect the future of lakhs of students. Should not the Education Minister and NTA Chairman be held accountable for the failure to uphold examination standards? The incompetence of the NTA is very apparent as they have botched up the NEET(UG) 2024 examination also. Why was the NET exam canceled for all the students? When every exam center is under CCTV surveillance and monitored so strictly, why could not the specific centers (which reported problems) be identified? Re-examination should be held for those students only and not the entire student community that appeared for the exam. The NTA was established in 2017 by the NDA government. The government must own responsibility for jeopardizing the future of so many students. Markazi Taleemi Board demands a high-level inquiry into the NET exam cancellation, the report of which should be made public.”

Prof. Salim Engineer said, “The Markazi Taleemi Board demands the government to reveal the exact reason behind the cancellation. Citing reasons for cancellation by using vague words like “integrity of the exam was compromised” is not correct. A detailed explanation should be offered by the Education Minister and the NTA Chairman in an open press conference. The entire fiasco has lent a very bad name to the NTA and diminished the trust of the people in the government’s ability to secure the welfare of the student community. One nation – one exam has proved to be a big failure. The NTA has totally failed in administering them on such a huge scale. MTB urges the government to decentralize these exams and conduct them through state governments. MTB demands that the government take urgent steps to restore faith in the examination system and punish those found guilty of irregularities and malpractices.