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The National Testing Agency (NTA) has finally released the results of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET)-UG, ending a month-long wait for students seeking admission to undergraduate courses across India. The delay in the announcement was attributed to a series of controversies surrounding alleged irregularities in various competitive exams, including NEET-UG and UGC-NET.
Originally scheduled to be declared on June 30, the CUET-UG results were postponed as investigations into the reported irregularities progressed. The exam itself had faced disruptions, with cancellations in Delhi on the eve of the scheduled test due to “logistical reasons”. A subsequent retest was conducted for affected students on July 19. Despite the challenges, a significant number of students participated in the exam, with over 11.13 lakh candidates appearing out of the 13.47 lakh registered.
The NTA addressed concerns regarding the initial answer key, allowing students to challenge it from July 7 to 9. Over 9,500 challenges were received, with 1,782 unique objections. The NTA emphasized that participating universities and organizations would be responsible for preparing merit lists and determining their respective counselling processes based on the released scorecard. Candidates were advised to stay in touch with the universities for further details regarding their admission procedures.
Universities have begun to outline their admission plans. Delhi University Registrar, Vikas Gupta, confirmed that the university anticipates receiving the results from the NTA by Wednesday and will subsequently commence the admission process. Acknowledging the delay, university sources indicated that they would aim to expedite the admission process, typically spanning a month, to minimize further disruption to the academic calendar. Similar sentiments were expressed by Dr. Mahesh Verma, Vice-Chancellor of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, who stated that their admission process would commence immediately following the release of the results by the NTA.
However, the prolonged delay has raised concerns about its impact on students and the academic calendar. Professors have expressed concern that the delay has pushed students towards private universities, whose admission procedures commenced earlier. They also highlighted the disruption to the academic year, with potential delays in the start of classes. Maya John, a DU professor, predicted that the first-year classes at DU might commence in late August or early September, marking the third consecutive year of delays in the admission process. A parent of a Delhi-based student expressed the anxieties shared by many, highlighting the uncertainties and delays faced by their child, who eagerly awaits the commencement of the admission process.