Scrap the NTA: Repeated Irregularities in UGC-NET 2026 Expose the Collapse of India's Examination System

The Students' Federation of India (SFI) strongly condemns the gross irregularities that have marred the UGC-NET June 2026 examination, once again exposing the National Testing Agency's (NTA) complete inability to conduct fair, transparent, and credible examinations.

The latest UGC-NET examination has been plagued by serious lapses that have jeopardized the interests of lakhs of students across the country. On 22 June, the examination at a centre in Jalandhar had to be cancelled due to technical failures, leaving candidates in uncertainty and distress. Such recurring technical breakdowns have become a hallmark of NTA's functioning.

Further, the examination paper itself reflects alarming levels of negligence. Candidates reported a question requiring the lyrics of "Vande Mataram" to be arranged in chronological order, a question that bears no relevance to evaluating research aptitude or subject knowledge expected in a national eligibility examination.

Even more disturbing are widespread reports of direct repetition of questions from previous UGC-NET papers. In Sociology, question papers were riddled with spelling errors, wrong names, and questions that appeared disconnected from prescribed syllabus. Candidates informed post exam that questions from key concepts and thinkers in sociology had many garbled phrasings: "Ritzer" appeared as "Putzer," "Parsons" as "Parsow", "A R Desai" as "A K Desai" among many errors. Some candidates have also alleged that the questions in the exam were AI Generated. In English, nearly 65 questions were reportedly repeated from the December 2024 examination. In Commerce, over 80 questions were allegedly repeated from the same paper, while Geography candidates reported the repetition of more than 40 questions from earlier examinations. Such large-scale repetition fundamentally compromises the integrity, fairness, and academic credibility of a national-level examination.

These incidents are not isolated mistakes but part of a continuing pattern of administrative failure under the NTA. From repeated paper leaks and technical glitches to arbitrary cancellations and poorly designed examinations, the agency has consistently failed to uphold the confidence of students and the standards of public examinations.

The Central Executive Committee of SFI reiterates its long-standing demand to scrap the National Testing Agency (NTA) and sacking of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. India's higher education admissions and recruitment examinations cannot be entrusted to an institution that has repeatedly demonstrated incompetence, opacity, and a lack of accountability.

SFI demands an immediate judicial or independent inquiry into the irregularities reported in the UGC-NET June 2026 examination and a public clarification regarding the large-scale repetition of questions across multiple subjects. Students affected by technical failures and administrative mismanagement must be provided appropriate relief without delay, and strict accountability must be fixed on all officials responsible for these lapses. In light of the NTA's repeated failures in conducting fair and credible examinations, SFI reiterates its demand for the immediate dismantling of the National Testing Agency and the establishment of a transparent, publicly accountable examination mechanism under democratic oversight that safeguards the interests of students and restores confidence in the examination system.

The future of students cannot continue to be sacrificed at the altar of an agency that has repeatedly failed in its responsibilities. SFI stands in solidarity with all affected aspirants and calls upon students, teachers, and the academic community to unite in demanding an end to the ongoing crisis in India's examination system.

Scrap the NTA. Defend the integrity of public education.

Released by
Adarsh M. Saji (President, SFI)
Srijan Bhattacharyya (General Secretary, SFI)