The second phase of Common University Entrance Test (CUET)-UG concluded on Wednesday even as exam cancellations due to technical glitches have delayed the final schedule. The exam that is being conducted for the first time this year, was earlier supposed to conclude on August 20, but will now conclude on August 28.
The third phase of the examination on August 17, 18, and 20 will be conducted as per schedule informed earlier to the candidates. The NTA had last week announced that the test which was cancelled last week will now be conducted from August 24 to 28 and fresh admit cards will be issued.
While the first three days of the crucial exam were marred by technical glitches prompting the National Testing Agency (NTA) to cancel the test at multiple centres, the exam on August 7, 8 and 10 was glitch-free. The exam also had to be cancelled at centres in Kerala and Itanagar following floods and landslides.
"On the final day, the exam was conducted at 275 test centres and in 210 cities across the country involving 64,858 registered candidates. The exam went off well in all centres in morning and evening sessions," UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said.
The second phase of CUET-Undergraduate which began on Thursday was marred by glitches causing trouble to students who were sent back from exam centres. On Thursday, the first shift of the exam was cancelled at several centres across 17 states, while the second shift was cancelled at all 489 centres. On Friday, the exam was cancelled at 50 centres.
Anticipating a similar situation on Saturday, the agency cancelled the CUET-UG for the day at 53 centres and sent messages to candidates about its postponement on Friday night. Kumar had on Tuesday said there were "indications of sabotage" and hence the exams were cancelled at various centres.
"There were reports and indications of sabotage in the process. NTA (National Testing Agency) immediately swung into action and cancelled and postponed examinations in centres which witnessed such a possibility. "Strict action will be taken against anyone involved in wilful sabotage of the process," he had said.
The UGC chairman had in March announced that CUET scores will be the basis for admission to 45 central universities which can fix their minimum eligibility criteria. With 14.9 lakh registrations, the CUET is now the second-biggest entrance exam in the country, surpassing the JEE-Main's average registration of nine lakh.
Apart from central universities, 12 state universities, 11 deemed universities, and 19 private universities have applied to participate in the first edition of CUET-UG for admissions in the academic session 2022-23.
(With PTI inputs)
