MyVoice: Views of our readers 22nd June 2024

Ensure fair exams

The entire nation is concerned about the NTA making fiascoes of the NEET and the NET. Irregularities of a grave nature like question paper leaks, proxies writing exams, errors in question papers and award of ‘compensatory’ grace marks spoil the sanctity of the competitive exams and defeat the whole object of them. The government is ultimately responsible for the conduct of these exams without any room for alleging irregularities. As such, the buck stops with it. It has a lot to answer for. Mere platitudes and promises or disavowals won’t do. The government must take steps quickly to rectify all that is wrong with the testing system.

It should staff the agency (or agencies) that conduct the exams with professionals who can be relied upon for integrity and competence. While the NEET’s fate hangs in the balance, the NET has been cancelled, causing heartbreak to lakhs of examinees. Now there is a big question mark over the much-needed institutional integrity and competence of the NTA. When crooks manipulate exams, the country becomes the loser. By fouling up the exams badly, the NTA and vested interests deny opportunities to those who genuinely deserve them and the best from the talent pool to the nation. The best option is to decentralise the exams taking into account the country’s vastness and diversity and the disadvantage of aspirants from impoverished backgrounds. A mechanism can be worked out and put in place wherein the state governments can conduct the exams to meet their share of the need for doctors, engineers and teachers. Of course, the union government can conduct its own exams to meet its share of the need at the national level. Both the union government and the state governments can work in collaboration on the entrance exams and ensure their fairness.

G.David Milton,Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

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Evidently NTA bosses fumbled and perhaps indulged in malpractices during and after the NEET-UG test. While the Union and State governments were busy in conducting elections to the Lok Sabha, those in NTA felt that they could indulge in some money spinning activities. Had there been no fumbling and allotment of grace marks there would not have been any controversy. The very fact that over 60 candidates from all over India including 6 from just one Centre have secured the highest marks [720] is in itself proof of the Gotala that took place. The Centre is trying to distance itself from the scam by offering to conduct NEET-UG test afresh for those 1600+ affected candidates. It cannot escape from the responsibility under the circumstances and a decision to scrap the NEET-UG 2024 should be taken. There should be no second thought in this regard.

Govardhana Myneedu,Vijayawada

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‘NTA (National Testing Agency) has lost its credibility as the Apex Court issued a notice on alleged irregularities in conducting the NEET-UG 2024 exam and has also sought responses from Centre on the subject in conducting the all-India Medical Entrance Test. The integrity of the examination should not be compromised at any cost as it involves students future and reputation of the nation. Immediately, a high-level panel should be appointed to probe into the entire issue including paper leak. The opposition will certainly storm the first session of parliament over the NEET issue. The NEET exam should be conducted again to safeguard the interests of the students’.

Ganti Venkata Sudhir,Secunderabad

Right move by UGC

‘P.hdwith 4 year UG Degree’ is a supportive and needed step taken by the UGC. It will not only open the door for the undergraduate degree aspirants who want to become a scholar but also removes the present qualification barriers which stopped many to study their subject of choice. This step will also help the UGC in propagating the required education particularly in youngsters, which will prove supportive in earnings to survive, which is presently needed in our country.

S M Arif Hussain,Musheerabad, Hyderabad

Splurging public money

Political parties that are in power must not allow heads puffed up to alienate people and other political opponents to be needlessly insulted and humiliated. Such irrational behaviour will create a chain effect of sorts to become perpetual enemies as a result. The story of Jaganmohan Reddy is a case in point in this regard for antagonising people and mismanagement of AP. Jagan lived in a fool’s paradise during his YSRCP rule forgetting all commitments as a chief minister. The building of a palatial bungalow on the heritage hill of Rushikonda, costing more than Rs.500 crore was the last stone to sink the ship of YSRCP that can only be likened to the behaviour of Idi Amin of Uganda or Marcos of Philippines, for splurging public money – that must be a lesson to all.