UGC-NET exam, scheduled for Jan 15, postponed: NTA

A fresh date will be announced later, the National Testing Agency said, adding that the UGC-NET paper on the following day will be held as scheduled.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Monday deferred the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) paper, scheduled for Wednesday, to a new date, in view of festivals on the original date.

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A fresh date will be notified soon, the NTA said, adding that the UGC-NET exam scheduled for Thursday will be held on schedule.

“The NTA has received representation to postpone the UGC-NET December 2024 examination on account of Pongal, Makar Sankranti and other festivals on January 15th, 2025,” it said in a statement.

“In the interest of the aspirants, the NTA has decided to postpone the exam scheduled on 15th January only. The new date will be announced later. Examination for 16th January will be conducted as per the earlier schedule,” the statement noted.

‘Insensitive to hold UGC-NET amid Pongal’: DMK MP

In December last year, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi had, in a letter to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accused the central government of showing “complete insensitivity" towards Tamil Nadu by holding UGC-NET on Pongal.

“It (Pongal) is deeply connected with the cultural identity of Tamils and conducting UGC-NET exams on that day would affect both the Pongal celebrations and exam preparations of the students from Tamil Nadu," Kanimozhi's letter to Dharmendra Pradhan read.

“This is not mere negligence — it is a deliberate affront to our cultural heritage. Once again, the Union Government has exposed its blatant disregard for our state and its people," the Tamil Nadu politician's letter further stated.

NTA conducts UGC-NET twice per year on behalf of UGC for award of Junior Research Fellowship, (JRF) appointment as assistant professor and admission to PhD courses.