Students affiliated to the All India Students’ Association (AISA) protested outside the University Grants Commission (UGC) office on Monday, demanding that application forms for the National Eligibility Test (NET) July, 2017, examination be issued immediately.
The students met UGC officials after hearing news about the NET examination being possibly suspended. They expressed “great fear” and “anxiety” among those preparing after they came to know that the CBSE had expressed its inability to conduct the exam.
‘Not an isolated move’
Students said that the fact that application forms were not out yet could not be seen in isolation considering the recent attacks on research and higher education in the country. “Earlier, we saw massive cut down of seats in M.Phil/Ph.D at JNU, which hit the students wanting to pursue research. This uncertainty over exams can be seen in continuation of the series of attack on research and career prospects of those wanting to go for academics,” said the protesters.
The students added that non-NET scholarships and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) were connected to the NET exam. “If they don’t conduct the NET exam, there won’t be students getting JRF. And if we don’t have JRFs or scholarships, then the entire field of research will become an exclusive area for the rich,” said the students.
Sandeep Saurav, National General Secretary of AISA said, “The agenda of the government looks clear. They are not interested in the field of education. They clearly don’t want students to go for higher education.”
