Exam Irregularities Mount Across India as Students Lose Faith in NTA

New Delhi: Irregularities in examinations conducted by agencies under the Central government have become a recurring problem. Question paper leaks on an unprecedented scale and errors in examination papers have severely undermined the credibility of the examination system. The number of students taking their own lives or suffering mental distress following the cancellation of examinations is alarming. Students whose lives have been thrown into uncertainty have begun responding with strong protests. The situation is the result of appointing the people they favour without considering merit, including within the National Testing Agency (NTA), which is responsible for conducting examinations, as well as failures to maintain the confidentiality of examinations. The Central government’s efforts to impose its interests on the education sector had begun earlier, and the young generation is facing the consequences.

These examination irregularities are putting the future of lakhs of students at risk. Serious errors and question paper leaks have recently been reported in major examinations, including NEET, the medical entrance examination; UGC-NET, the eligibility test for teachers; and the Jharkhand Public Service Commission examinations.

These incidents are also a major challenge facing the country at both the national and state levels. Even as the Central government’s education policies and administrative failures come under scrutiny, the future of the country remains at stake.

The irregularities in NEET, the examination conducted for admission to medical seats across the country, triggered the first major controversy. But subsequent developments showed that this was only the tip of the iceberg. Suspicions arose after 67 candidates secured full marks for the first time in the history of the examination. The doubts grew stronger when several candidates who appeared at the same examination centre in Haryana shared the top rank. Student protests subsequently erupted across the country.

The arbitrary awarding of grace marks and large-scale question paper leaks in states such as Bihar and Gujarat were also part of the irregularities. These incidents completely damaged the credibility of the NTA and eroded students’ faith in the Central government. The final hope of candidates was shattered when middlemen and students revealed that question papers had allegedly been purchased in advance by paying lakhs of rupees. Despite the irregularities coming to light, the Union Education Ministry attempted to downplay the issue.

It was only after the Supreme Court intervened and students launched nationwide protests that the government was prepared to acknowledge the seriousness of the matter. Even then, it was surprising that the Prime Minister did not come forward to directly interact with the candidates. Eventually, the students’ protests yielded results and the Union Education Minister resigned.

Before the NEET controversy had subsided, the question paper for UGC-NET, the eligibility examination for teaching positions in universities and colleges across the country, was leaked. An agency under the Union Home Ministry reported that the question paper had been circulated in advance on the dark web and Telegram. The Centre was forced to cancel the examination within 24 hours of it being held on June 18. The decision shattered the aspirations of nearly nine lakh candidates who had spent years preparing for research careers.

The crisis in examination management extends beyond Central agencies and is also evident at the state level. Serious allegations were raised in connection with the Jharkhand Public Service Commission preliminary examination. Students pointed out that question papers were found at examination centres with their seals broken, making it clear that examination boards were failing to conduct examinations in a transparent and secure manner. As protests intensified in Jharkhand, the government was forced to accept the students’ key demands. It decided to cancel all examinations and recruitments conducted by Lucknow-based TDPL (TSR Data Processing Private Limited). It also decided to cancel examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and the Staff Selection Commission. The government had to announce an investigation into all irregularities since 2014, a CID probe into all examinations conducted, and the formation of a committee to recommend examination reforms.

The complete failure of the NTA is a failure of governance by the Central government. The various irregularities that have emerged in recent months reflect the negligence of the Union Education Ministry on matters concerning the future of the country’s youth. By ignoring security lapses in examination management and relying on private agencies, the Centre is creating conditions for large-scale corruption. Although the Centre claims to have brought the Public Examinations Act, 2024, into force to tackle examination mafias, the fact remains that the same Central system has allowed such mafias to flourish.

If the Centre continues to refuse to take impartial action against those responsible for question paper leaks and overhaul the NTA’s structure, the country may soon witness a youth protest on a scale it has never seen before. The Central government is accountable for this collapse of the education system and must answer for it.