- The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced a retest for three papers of the UGC-NET June 2026 examination — English, Commerce, and Sociology — following complaints about errors.
- The retests are scheduled for September 9 and 10, with specific timings for each paper.
- Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned why students should suffer for NTA's mistakes and demanded accountability from the Prime Minister.
- The NTA's committee found factual, typographical, and translation errors in the three papers, including misspelt names, garbled book titles, grammatical errors, and repetition of previously asked questions.
- The NTA stated that the papers' defects could not be cured by dropping questions and that the retest is necessary for a fair and error-free examination; no additional fee will be charged.
- Ramesh raised concerns about the delay's impact on admissions and the delay of results for other subjects.
- Ramesh emphasized the stakes for students, as the exam is linked to JRF, Assistant Professor eligibility, and PhD admissions.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced a retest for the UGC-NET exams in English, Commerce, and Sociology on September 9-10 after acknowledging significant errors in the original papers. Complaints included misspelled names of scholars, garbled book titles, and various grammatical mistakes.
In a public notice, the NTA stated it formed a committee to investigate the issues, which confirmed the presence of factual, typographical, and translation errors. The committee's findings led to the decision to re-conduct the exams to ensure fairness and accuracy.
The English paper will take place on September 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, followed by the Commerce paper on the same day from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Sociology paper is scheduled for September 10 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the NTA, questioning why students should suffer due to the agency's mistakes. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “Every day matters” for students awaiting results that affect their academic futures, including JRF and PhD admissions.
Ramesh also called for accountability from Prime Minister Modi, asking, “Will the Prime Minister... say anything about his own responsibility?” He raised concerns about the impact of these delays on students' academic opportunities and the need for compensation for those affected.
The NTA has assured that no additional fees will be charged for the retest, aiming to rectify the situation for the affected candidates.
“The retest follows a committee's finding of factual, typographical, and translation errors, including misspelt scholar names and garbled book titles. Jairam Ramesh also questioned why results for 84 other subjects are delayed, and noted the exam's link to JRF, Assistant Professor eligibility, and PhD admissions.”
