The head of India’s National Testing Agency (NTA), Subodh Kumar Singh, has been dismissed amid allegations of irregularities in recent higher education exams. The government has also established a committee to suggest reforms for the highly competitive process. Calls have arisen to rerun a medical entrance test after numerous candidates achieved unusually high scores, leading to protests over suspected cheating.
The National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) is crucial for those aspiring to study medicine in India. Each year, millions of students take the exam, but only a small fraction achieve scores high enough to secure a placement. The results announced on June 4 showed that even top scorers faced difficulties, raising concerns about the exam’s integrity.
Read more; India Has Implemented Stricter Penalties To Deter Cheating In Exams
Scrutiny of the exam has increased due to various issues, including errors in the question paper, unwarranted grace marks, and allegations of fraud. Earlier this month, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan acknowledged that “some irregularities” had been identified. Under mounting criticism, Singh was dismissed on Saturday.
Additionally, a qualifying exam for PhD fellowships was canceled after its question paper was leaked on the dark web. The entrance test for post-graduate degrees in medicine, scheduled for Sunday, has also been postponed.
Opposition parties and student groups have been protesting nationwide against these lapses, putting pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recently reelected government.
