The Union Government has once again exempted eight Central Universities in the North-East, including Nagaland University, from conducting the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for admissions to undergraduate programmes. The exemption also includes Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Uttarakhand.
A letter from the Union Ministry of Education to the Secretary of the University Grants Commission on March 15 informed of the ‘special consideration’ for the North Eastern Region citing geographical and logistical ‘impediments’ in conducting the CUET.
It referred to another letter from the Ministry dated May 13, 2022, stating that due to geographical conditions, hilly terrain, far-flung locations, limited digital connectivity, and infrastructure acting as impediments in conducting the CUET in North Eastern Regions, the Central Universities of North Eastern Regions, namely Sikkim University, Rajiv Gandhi University, Manipur University, Assam University, Tezpur University, Nagaland University, Tripura University, Mizoram University, NEHU, and HNBGU, Uttarakhand, were allowed to take admission to the affiliated colleges to the Central University as per the past practice instead of CUET for the year 2022-23.
“Keeping in view the present situation, it has been decided that the above exemption may be extended for one more year for 2023-24," added from the Under Secretary of Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education PK Singh to the UGC.
It further requested the UGC to issue the necessary notification regarding the exemption. Since 2021, the CUET examinations have been conducted as an all-India examination by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for students seeking admission to different programmes of participating Central Universities.
While the CUET (PG) was introduced as mandatory for all Post Graduate programmes in all Central Universities from 2022-23, from the academic session 2023-24, the exam has been introduced for admission into all UG programmes in all Central Universities under the Ministry of Education.
According to the NTA, the CUET provides a common platform and equal opportunities to candidates across the country, especially those from rural and other remote areas and helps establish better connect with the Universities.
(MExN)
