Amid raging row, NTA announces fresh exam dates, UGC-NET to be held from Aug 21-Sept 4
New Delhi (PTI): Amid a raging row over alleged irregularities in the conduct of competitive exams, the National Testing Agency (NTA) Friday night released fresh dates for cancelled and postponed examinations, announcing the UGC-NET will now be held from August 21-September 4.
The University Grants Commission–National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) was cancelled a day after being conducted on June 18 as the education ministry received inputs that the integrity of the exam was compromised.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said the question paper was leaked on the darknet and circulated on the Telegram app. The matter is being probed by the CBI.
The UGC-NET is a test to determine the eligibility for the award of Junior Research Fellowship, for appointment of assistant professors and admission to PhD courses.
In a shift from the earlier pattern, the exam was conducted in offline mode this year and on a single day. However, the rescheduled exam will be conducted according to the earlier pattern of Computer Based Test (CBT) spread across a fortnight.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) UGC-NET, which was postponed as a preemptive measure amid the row over alleged irregularities in the conduct of exams, will now be held from July 25-July 27.
The CSIR UGC-NET is accepted for PhD admissions in Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences.
The National Common Entrance Test (NCET) for admission to the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), which was postponed hours before its scheduled commencement on June 12, will now be conducted on July 10.
The test is held for select central and state universities or institutions, including IITs, NITs, RIEs, and government colleges.
In the line of fire over the alleged irregularities in medical entrance examination NEET-UG and PhD entrance NET, the Centre had last week notified a panel to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through the NTA.
While the NEET is under scanner over several alleged irregularities, including paper leak, the UGC-NET was cancelled as the ministry received inputs that the integrity of the exam was compromised.
Two other exams -- CSIR-UGC NET and NEET-PG -- were cancelled as a preemptive step.
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Punjab: Four-year-old boy rescued after falling into borewell in Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur (Punjab) (PTI): A four-year-old boy who fell into a newly dug borewell while playing near his home in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district was rescued safely after an intense, nine-hour operation involving multiple rescue agencies and local volunteers, officials said.
The incident occurred on Friday night at Chak Samana village, located near Bhikhowal along the Hoshiarpur-Dasuya road.
The boy, identified as Gurkaran Singh, was trapped inside the borewell at a depth of around 20 to 30 feet, officials said.
Rescue teams pulled him out around 12.40 am and immediately shifted him to a hospital for medical examination and treatment.
Upon being rescued, an NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) personnel carried him in his arms. Though the boy's face was covered in soil, he appeared stable.
The child's family and villagers hugged the NDRF personnel and other rescuers profusely, thanking them for their efforts in the entire rescue operation.
Deputy Commandant NDRF Pankaj Sharma told PTI Videos that the child's condition was stable. He noted that the rescue operation was challenging because of the loose soil that kept collapsing. "Our rescuers put in a commendable effort throughout the entire rescue operation," he stated.
Officials said the operation was a collaborative effort involving teams from the NDRF, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Punjab Police, district administration officials, fire brigade personnel, and local volunteers.
Punjab minister Ravjot Singh and AAP MP Raj Kumar Chabbewal remained present at the site throughout the rescue operation and monitored the efforts.
Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain said the administration swung into action immediately after receiving information about the incident around 4 pm.
She said the child had slipped into an open borewell adjoining the family's house.
According to officials, the borewell had recently been made operational, and the work to fill gravel and soil around it was still pending.
Jain said rescue teams initially lowered a camera and oxygen pipe into the borewell to monitor the child's condition and ensure oxygen supply.
"The child's movements were visible in the footage initially, which helped rescuers assess the situation," she said.
Officials said loose soil later fell inside the borewell, making camera monitoring difficult and adding to the complexity of the operation.
The deputy commissioner said rescuers dug a parallel pit up to a depth of around 25 to 30 feet before creating a narrow tunnel to reach the child safely.
Officials said that heavy machinery, including earth-moving equipment, was arranged by the administration and local villagers.
They described the soil as sandy in nature, which posed a challenge as it repeatedly collapsed. Care was taken to use the machinery cautiously, ensuring that the soil would not fall on the child and jeopardise his safety.
Jain said more than 40 NDRF personnel participated in the rescue effort.
She thanked the NDRF, SDRF, Punjab Police, civil administration officials, medical teams, volunteers and locals for their coordinated efforts and commitment in ensuring the child's safe rescue.
Senior Superintendent of Police Sandeep Kumar Malik commended the rescue teams, stating that their dedication and teamwork were vital in saving the child's life.
Earlier during the operation, the administration had also called the child's mother to the site and asked her to speak to him so that he could hear a familiar voice and remain calm.
Oxygen was supplied to him through a pipe into the borewell.
Minister Ravjot Singh said medical and emergency teams had remained on standby throughout the operation to provide immediate treatment to the child after rescue.
MP Chabbewal described it as a highly sensitive and challenging rescue mission and said continuous efforts by all agencies helped make the operation successful.
Large numbers of locals had gathered near the site as rescue teams continued operations through the night.
