NTA Postpones 16 Exams Since 2018: Ministry Of Education Reports

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has postponed at least 16 exams since it began conducting entrance exams in 2018, according to information shared by the Ministry of Education in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
The reasons for postponement included the COVID-19 pandemic, logistical challenges, administrative issues and technical glitches.

The information was provided by Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar in response to a question raised by DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi.

While acknowledging the postponements, the Ministry highlighted that the NTA has successfully conducted over 240 exams involving more than 5.4 crore students since its inception.

The Minister explained that the large scale of NTA exams, often held in multiple subjects, shifts and days, makes them susceptible to unforeseen circumstances. These include the COVID-19 pandemic, logistical and technical hurdles, administrative challenges and even legal orders. Such situations can necessitate rescheduling specific subjects or exam shifts.

The data revealed that four major exams - JEE Main (2020), NEET-UG (2020), JEE Main (2021) and NEET-UG (2021) - were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other exams postponed due to a combination of COVID-19 and logistical issues include CSIR UGC-NET (2020), UGC-NET (December 2020 & May 2021) and ICAR AIEEA (2020).

The Delhi University Entrance Test (DUET) 2020 was postponed due to the university putting its registration process on hold due to the pandemic.

The revision of the exam pattern by AICTE led to the postponement of CMAT-2021.

The All India Ayush Post Graduate Entrance Test (AIAPGET) 2021 and JIPMAT 2021 were also postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Administrative reasons led to the postponement of the IGNOU PhD Entrance Exam in 2022.

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Biotechnology (GAT-B) 2023 was postponed after consultations with regional biotechnology centres.

This year (2024), the National Common Entrance Test (NCET) faced postponement due to technical issues, while the CSIR-NET exam was postponed for logistical reasons.

The Ministry informed that the NTA has taken steps to improve predictability by declaring the exam calendar for major exams well in advance. This calendar includes buffer days to accommodate rescheduling necessitated by unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the NTA.