The National Testing Agency (NTA) declared the scorecards of the Common University Entrance Test (UG) on Sunday, almost a month after the results were expected.
Amid multiple controversies that the NTA has been grappling with, the exam results – which will determine admissions to undergraduate admissions in Central universities – were delayed by around a month, distressing students, parents and teachers alike. The results were expected to be declared on June 30.
The test was conducted between May 15 and 29. The test saw a cancellation in Delhi a night before the scheduled exam day over “logistical reasons”, which was then held later in the May. A retest was also conducted for some students on July 19.
The NTA in a press release on Sunday said that a total of 13,47,820 were registered, of which 11,13,610 students appeared. Of the 6,30,565 registered female candidates, 5,19,283 appeared for the test while out of 7,17,248 male candidates, 5,94,324 students appeared. Three out of seven registered third gender candidates appeared for the test.
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The test was made mandatory for undergraduate admissions to central universities in 2022. This year, it was conducted in the hybrid mode from May 15 to 29 and a retest was conducted for select candidates on July 19.
Many students had also flagged irregularities in the initial answer key, after which the answers were corrected in the final answer key. The release by NTA stated, “Candidates were given an opportunity for the challenge from July 7 to 9 along with the Provisional Answer Key, Question Paper, and Recorded responses. In this duration, about 9,512 answer key challenges were received out of which 1,782 were unique challenges. Candidates were also given representation through e-mails and letters.”
The NTA added that a merit list will be prepared by participating universities/organisations, adding that universities will decide their counselling process on the basis of the scorecard.
Universities to begin UG admission process soon
The NTA release stated, “The result of candidates is in the process of being shared with the universities. Candidates are advised to be in touch with the respective universities and Institutions for further details.”
In DU, the academic calendar is set to begin for all other years on August 1. University officials had earlier said that they were hoping to begin classes for first years by August 16.
DU registrar Vikas Gupta said, “We are expecting the results to be shared by the NTA tentatively by Wednesday. We will then begin the admission process, after which students can opt for the course preferences.”
University sources said that while the admission process takes around a month, they will try to speed it up this year, given the delays.
Dr. Mahesh Verma, vice-chancellor of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, also said that they would wait for the NTA to upload the results, after which they will begin their admission process immediately.
‘Delays have led to disruptions for students, teachers’
Meanwhile, professors who have been raising concerns over the delays over the past few weeks, pointed out that the delays have pushed many students towards private universities as their admission procedures had started earlier. They also said that the delay has disrupted the academic calendar.
Maya John, a DU professor, said on Sunday, “At this stage, with CUET results declared in end-July, we can expect that the first-year classes in DU will only begin in late August or early September.” She added that a delay in commencement of first year classes is expected, given that the university usually does not start its UG classes solely after the first admission list. She added that CUET has led to a delay in the UG admissions process for the third consecutive year.
A parent of a Delhi-based student, who aims to study in a DU college said, “We faced many issues initially as there were issues with the answer keys, in addition to the delay. My daughter has been anxiously waiting for the admission process to begin, unsure of what the future would hold…”
Published - July 28, 2024 07:41 pm IST
