NTA to Conduct UGC-NET from August 21 to September 4 Following June Cancellation

August 2, 2024: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced that the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) will be held from August 21 to September 4, 2024. The exam, which was originally scheduled for June 18, was cancelled the next day due to allegations of a paper leak.

The UGC-NET will now be conducted in a Computer Based Test (CBT) format. The decision to cancel the initial exam was made after the Union education ministry received warnings from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics about potential compromises in the examination’s integrity. The ministry stated that a new exam would be conducted to uphold transparency and integrity, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) tasked with investigating the matter.

A notification about the exam centers will be published on the NTA website 10 days prior to the test. The UGC-NET, which is conducted biannually, is used to determine eligibility for Junior Research Fellowships, assistant professor positions, and PhD program admissions. The test consists of two objective-type papers, administered consecutively without a break.

The Supreme Court recently declined to review a petition challenging the cancellation of the UGC-NET, supporting the government’s decision to ensure a fair and secure examination process.