Kerala CM urges Centre to address NTA's 'incompetence' in conducting exams
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday urged the Centre to take immediate steps to resolve the crisis in the National Testing Agency (NTA), saying its "repeated incompetence" in conducting exams such as NEET and the UGC-NET cannot be accepted.
A day after the Union Education Ministry ordered the cancellation of the UGC-NET following inputs that the exam's integrity may have been compromised, and handed over the matter to the CBI for investigation, Vijayan, also citing the controversy over the NEET exam, said such a situation leaves students in limbo and wastes public money.
"The controversy over NEET has barely subsided, and now the Ministry of Education has announced the cancellation of UGC-NET, citing compromised exam integrity. This repeated incompetence is unacceptable, leaving students in limbo and wasting public money," the chief minister said in a post on 'X'.
"The Central Government must take immediate steps to resolve this crisis at NTA and ensure a fair, transparent, and reliable examination process," Vijayan said.
Amid a raging row over the medical entrance exam NEET, the Union Education Ministry on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of the UGC-NET and also sought a report from the Bihar Police's Economic Offences Unit regarding alleged irregularities in the conduct of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (UG) 2024 in Patna.
The UGC cancelled the UGC-NET examination after receiving certain inputs from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs on the Examination.
It said these inputs prima facie indicate that the integrity of the aforesaid examination may have been compromised and to ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process, it has been decided that the UGC-NET June 2024 examination be cancelled.
In a shift from earlier practice, the National Eligibility Test (NET) was conducted in pen-and-paper mode this time on a single day -- June 18 -- with a record 11 lakh students registering for the exam.
UGC-NET is a test to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for the award of junior research fellowship, for appointment as assistant professors and admission to PhD in Indian universities and colleges.
The decision by the ministry comes amid a massive row on the medical entrance exam NEET over alleged irregularities, with the issue now before the Supreme Court.
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Karnataka launches state-led Centre of Excellence for Space Technology in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): In a significant boost to India’s rapidly expanding space economy, the Karnataka government on Friday launched the country’s first state-led Centre of Excellence for Space Technology here, officials said.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening India’s capabilities to translate space innovation into scalable commercial outcomes, they said.
The Centre, established by the Government of Karnataka through the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society in collaboration with SIA (Satcom Industry Association India) -India, was inaugurated by Minister for Electronics, IT/BT, and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Priyank Kharge, in the presence of senior officials and industry leaders, officials said.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Kharge said that Karnataka has consistently been at the forefront of India's technology and innovation journey. With the launch of this Centre of Excellence for Space Technology, we are extending that leadership into one of the most strategic sectors of the future.
"Our focus is not just on advancing research, but on creating an ecosystem where innovation can translate into real-world applications, economic growth, and high-quality jobs. This Centre will play a critical role in positioning Karnataka as a key driver of India's space economy," he said.
According to an official statement, the CoE SpaceTech Foundation has been established under a Memorandum of Agreement between KITS and SIA-India to drive research and innovation in space technologies, industry-aligned training, startup incubation and cross-sector applications, it said.
The Centre has also formalised strategic MoUs with multiple industry and academic partners to support research in space biotech and microgravity, enable collaboration, build talent pipelines, and provide startups with training and market access, it added.
