Summary:
New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) based on multiple choice questions over the decades old subjective entrance test pattern --- academicians are raising doubts over the new examination pattern for post graduate admissions in Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), which sees cutthroat competition in admissions to its masters programmes, fears that the multiple choice questions (MCQ) based test pattern will dilute the quality of students attracted by the varsity.
According to JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, the university has been appealing to the Centre to change the CUET format for postgraduate admissions.
"For masters programmes, we need to test the overall understanding of the subject, opinions and critical thinking besides knowledge.
The MCQs have a different testing pattern and aptitude," she said.
The JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) had recently moved a resolution demanding that the university suspends its agreement with the National Testing Agency (NTA) and immediately restore JNU’s own time-tested admission procedures.
Previously, the varsity used to admit students to undergraduate courses through subjective exams conducted by it.
From 2019 however, it started admitting students through the JNU Entrance Examination conducted by the NTA.
The university announced earlier this year that it would conduct admissions to all undergraduate and postgraduate courses through the CUET.
"We also need to take into account the unique nature of the university and peculiarity of different centres and the courses offered by them.
There is a reason why the university attracts the best talent from across the country and its the selection process," JNU Professor Bishnupriya Dutt said.
"If we have to provide a level playing field to everyone, CUET-PG can be a subjective exam but to test aspirants of Masters Programmes on basis of a MCQ based exam is not the right metric," she said.
JNU professor Ayesha Kidwai said that the university had its own entrance test system, which used to analyse students on the basis of their writing skills and their opinion-making capacity.
"JNU has been in existence for over 50 years and the university was holding its entrance for nearly 48 years before the former VC M Jagadesh Kumar, who is now UGC chairman, brought in the JNU Entrance Exam (JNUEE) by tying up with the NTA.
The move not only meant that we lost out on good students but NTA also charged three times the money the university would spend on holding the exam.
"The university, when it was conducting its own exam, also used to make a profit of Rs 1.5 crore, which would then be used by the university tto give Merit Cum means Scholarship to students," she said.
Kidwai said that the VC should call an Academic Council meeting and withdraw from CUET and she will get the support of the entire teaching community.
The CUET-PG is the new common entrance test for admission to postgraduate programmes at Central universities.