SHILLONG, MAY 17: The State government has taken cognizance of the chaotic conduct of the Common University Entrance Test – UG 2024 examination at the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) and decided to immediately write to the Centre for exemption from the CUET.

Officials of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) were also summoned during a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday.

Students were affected by the distressing situation arising out of the disorganized manner of conducting the CUET UG 2024 examination held at NEHU on Wednesday.

Addressing media persons after the meeting, education minister Rakkam A Sangma said, “Chief Minister has taken serious note (on the incident) and has decided to take up with the Government of India and NTA in the interest of our students.”

“We will be writing for those students, appearing in the CUET examination, to take admission in the NEHU itself and also to give a second chance and those students, who are appearing, to take admission in the colleges affiliated to NEHU, to give exemption this year again,” he said.

Stating that CUET has become an issue in the state, Rakkam said, “Therefore, we are coming up with our own State University. Many of the colleges, which are affiliated to NEHU, can be given green signal to affiliate with the new Captain Williamson Sangma State University.”

The education minister said there was total lack of preparedness and lack of coordination on the part of the NTA has led to the chaotic situation adding that the NTA did not communicate to the state government including deputy commissioner for law and order enforcement.

“(During the meeting) NEHU officials informed us that it was at the eleventh hour, the NTA had informed the NEHU authority on May 14 at 6 pm that they should be ready for 2000 students but in the middle of the night, NTA then informed to be ready for another 4000 students. So they don’t have time to prepare because of the lack of coordination from NTA,” he said.

“NTA and NEHU officials informed us that only one lady, one girl could not appear for the CUET examination yesterday. However, there was some delay. There were some technical issues that happened due to biometrics. The capacity of each biometric was about 100 students and we were informed that only 7 biometric machines were given instead of 40-50 numbers (which was required). After the green signal from NTA, they went ahead without biometrics,” he added.

Asked, Rakkam said, “Because of this scenario, many students may not be able to do well. We will be requesting to give exemption again because now we don’t know how many students could not appear or be affected due to this, so we are waiting for figures and datas – particularly for students, who wanted to take admission in NEHU, they have been affected directly.”

He said that the state government will also write to the NTA directing them to be well prepared for conduct of such important examinations.

To another query, the education minister said that the NTA should take a decision on the entire issue.

“This problem has happened. Many of the students could not perform well and could not give their best and they will not be able to score well and also there are many students in the rural areas, which they have registered for CUET examination, so if the institutions goes for admission only with the CUET examination, many vacant seats will remain unfilled in the different institutions of the state,” he added.

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