New Delhi: Members of a parliamentary panel on Wednesday sought statutory status for the National Testing Agency (NTA) even as they lauded the successful conduct of the NEET-UG re-exam.
The panel members, however, expressed concern over the computer-based test (CBT) mode for the NEET-UG exam from next year and called for taking the interests of the marginalised sections into account.
Former ISRO chairman R Radhakrishnan, who is also the chairman of the high-powered committee set up by the government to suggest reforms in the examination system, appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports and discussed steps taken for the NEET re-exam.
NTA Director General Abhishek Singh and Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education Vineet Joshi also appeared before the panel and discussed the lessons learnt from the NEET re-exam held on June 21.
The officials were called by the panel, headed by Congress member Mukul Wasnik, on the learnings from the NEET-UG re-examination and steps to strengthen the NTA as well as reforms required.
This was the first meeting under Wasnik's chairmanship. Earlier, Congress member Digvijaya Singh was the panel chairperson, but he has since retired.
The panel reviewed the conduct of the NEET-UG re-examination and Abhishek Singh briefed its members on the process and the outcomes.
Sources said the panel members asked the officials how the NTA will conduct the examination of this scale on its own next year, as the re-exam was successfully held only after the entire government came into action. From the prime minister to the junior-most official, all were involved in its conduct, they noted.
The sources said the MPs suggested giving more powers to the NTA for independently handling an exam of this magnitude and suggested giving statutory status to the agency.
The Ministry of Education established the NTA as an independent, autonomous, and self-sustained premier testing organisation under the Societies Registration Act (1860).
The panel members also expressed concern over several examinees being left out as they arrived late at the exam centres. They also urged the NTA to take steps to help them, saying the visuals of the distraught aspirants being left outside the centre for arriving late were disturbing.
With the NTA now deciding to hold the NEET exam in a computer-based testing format, the members said the interests of marginalised sections should be kept in mind as some may not have access to computers.
Earlier, top officials told the committee about the successful conduct of the NEET re-exam on June 21 and listed several steps being taken. The Committee congratulated them on their efforts.
Some MPs also asked why separate tests for nursing and other exams are not held to reduce the number of examinees.
Radhakrishnan told the panel that the recommendations made by him are being implemented in a phased manner. The timeline for implementing the Radhakrishnan recommendations was, however, not given.
Some members, sources added, asked if such exams can be conducted in a graded manner, similar to the ones held by the UPSC.
The NEET-UG exam originally conducted on May 3 was cancelled by the government following reports of 'paper leak' and was re-conducted on June 21. The CBI is probing the paper leak in the NEET exam.
The panel had earlier summoned all top officials of the ministries of Higher Education and Health and officials of NTA and NMC over the NEET-UG exam paper leak case and the CBSE onscreen marking system.
The sources said a few former officials of the Indian Institute of Science and AICTE, besides Delhi School of Artificial Intelligence, also briefed the Committee on the impact of AI on education and suggested strategies to maximise employability of students.
The sources said the panel has called former head of NIEPA Arun C Mehta and former IIT Guwahati Director and former Chairman of AICTE T G Sitharam to brief the panel members on the impact of artificial intelligence on education.
Some members suggested that AI's use in the education system should be done while keeping the Indian traditions in mind.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.