THE SOLUTION IS NOT AT KILLING (DISSOLVING ) NTA OR NEET SYSTEM(AS SOME ARE DEMANDING OR SUGGESTING): THE SOLUTION IS AT TAKING RIGHT STEPS TO CURE NTA AND IMPROVING IT TO BE ROBUST, ERROR FREE AND TRANSPARENT IN THE INTEREST OF THE NATION


THE SOLUTION IS NOT AT KILLING (DISSOLVING ) NTA OR NEET SYSTEM(AS SOME ARE DEMANDING OR SUGGESTING): THE SOLUTION IS AT TAKING RIGHT STEPS TO CURE NTA AND IMPROVING IT TO BE ROBUST, ERROR FREE AND TRANSPARENT IN THE INTEREST OF THE NATION

Dear Readers,

All of you and the Nation as a whole have been observing a some sort of unexpected issues prevailing right now at National Level in India relating to the NTA ( National Testing Agency ) and its various Neet or Net named testing facilities for admission to Institutions of Higher Education or Employment in certain designated sectors, that have been brought under the purview of NTA.... it has happened, however due steps are being taken at the Instance of Government of India, as has been visible through the steps under taken by all concerned that have been published and appearing in public media, to bring the system back to order. 

No doubt, there have been some issues related to NTA and Neet Papers creating dissatisfaction among the people that have come in public domain for some time this year so far, however, the Government of India has also been assuring through public domain that the required steps are being taken by it, to correct the situation and cure the NTA and Improve it, to make it Robust, Error Free and Transparent.

In the mean while, the following have also been observed to have happened/taken place through the Public Domain:
a)     The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India is seized of the matter with various petitions/cases filed by different individuals or groups related to the subject.
b)     The Hon'ble Parliament of India is also recently seized of this subject. 
c)     As a necessary step taken cognizance by Govt. of India, it has also replaced the Incumbent(previous) Head (Director General) of NTA.
d)     A committee of National Level Experts of High Calibre and High Credibility with Long Experiences, has been set up by the Government of India to ascertain and find out the ways and means to improve and put in place, for functioning of NTA to make it Robust, Error Free and Totally Transparent.
e)    Some designated Tests like UGC-NET and Neet-PG(Post Graduate Medical) were cancelled in the mean while which were in offing to be held on earlier scheduled dates as precautionary measures, to be announced with new dates to be held later in the future. In fact, UGC-NET which was cancelled for its earlier date of June 2024, has been re-notified to be held between August 21 and September 04, 2024. Some News Reports of yesterday came in public domain also says, the new date of NEET-PG is likely to be announced within 1-2 days. ......Further very recent news coming in public domain says the Govt of India is considering to change the NEET-UG from OMR and Manual System of Test to Online System like other online Testing Platforms NTA has been using ( say an example is JEE Mains which is being online without much hassles).
f)    Some Designated and High Profile Investigating Agencies of India ( such as CBI and others locally and state based) have also been deployed by the Central Government and State Governments to get into the roots of malfunctioning in the NTA testing system, the findings of that could lead to taking appropriate steps further.
g)    Over and above, the new law relating to the subject matter, The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 has been notified and implemented effective from 21-JUNE-2024 by Government of India as a very firm step with future vision on the subject. This is a very vital, fundamental and effective step (likely to be a very effective law) which will act as a deterrent (given its area of operation and deterring punishment provisions) for Unfair Means to be adopted in all kinds of Public Examinations in future and this law also has the Potential to Build an Anti-Unfair Means Character in the Indian Society in the future. However, everyone in the Indian Society including the National Government, State Governments and all kinds of relevant Institutions and Authorities, Parents and Students and Public in general owe the Responsibility to the Nation to campaign for awareness among people for existence of this law, as I wrote some time back, the campaigning vigorousity need of this new law, may be comparable to the public "Family Planning Campaign" India took up and did for many years ( if can be an example to be compared with ) to get it into the Blood of everyone in the Indian Society to build a Character of Anti-Unfair Means in all kinds of Competitive Examinations or in the Examinations in General. We at India, do have the experience of the "Family Planning Campaign" of the past; how it was done to build a National Understanding of the subject matter, the lessons of it will be very useful.

While all the above Steps that have been taken as the considered right steps in the present context to cure and improve the NTA System, it is also seen and observed that some Protesting Groups and even some State level functionaries, have been demanding for Dissolving ( Killing ) NTA and NEET system or the whole system that has been put in place under the ambit of NTA. I have seen and read some such news items regarding such demands, coming from some Protesting Groups and some States, appearing in the Public Domain, it has been there (however not naming also to be fair).  
........ Let me say very considerately with well considered Opinion with fair and equity,  that Killing (Dissolving) the NTA or NEET  system of testing, as is being said or demanded by some, is not the Solution, the Solution lies at Curing and Improving the NTA System and its Testing Facilities out of any mal-function.....to make it Robust, Error Free and Transparent, to make sure, what has caused some wounds, that should not happen again ( or again and again ), that should be an approach in all fairness. 

The Reasons for which the NTA System and its Testing Facilities such as NEET or NET named ( with prefix or suffix to it)  should be upheld and preserved .....and should not be dissolved (killed) or disbanded;  should be the following ( other reasons can be found out and be added to it, it is not the exhaustive list, making clear ):
1.    In India, we have 28-States ( hence 28 State Governments ) , 8-Union Territories (hence we have 8-UT Administrations), more than 1400 Million ( 140 Crores ) Population, can any body deny it ? No...Nobody can deny this. These numbers are true and facts to live with it. Hence we have huge number of students or youth looking for higher education and employment, that is the normal corollary. We need to remain prepared to handle it, with the Demand-Supply Gap inevitable for us as a Nation, appropriately and manageably with a fair and just system.

2.    In the past, for securing a seat for Higher Education, after +2 ( 12th Standard ) Education or after an under-graduate degree, the Students had to appear for several dozens of Entrance Examinations (long list of entrance examinations that used to be confronting both the Parents and the Students, they could not have it or leave it, very compulsive) whether it was Engineering, Medical and Other fields of Technical, Professional or Non-Technical Education, some were conducted then by the institutions at National Level among themselves separately (each one holding a test) and Others Conducted by All the State Governments at State Level ( 28-Sates doing 28-types of Tests or multiples of 28-types of entrance tests, even some states doing 2-3 types of entrance-tests themselves, 1-Test of Engineering and allied Stream, a 2nd-Test for Medical and allied Stream; and even a 3rd-Test for Some other Stream )  quite varyingly for the same subjects of Education across the Nation. It was real Night-Mare for the Parents as well as Students to appear for such large number of Entrance Examinations to compete at National Level, not only for the time, effort and pains they had to go through, but also for the reason of huge cost burden it imposed unfairly on the Parents and the Students; it was also to a large extent, State-Domicile based, hence was highly restrictive on the domicile ground of the states concerned, where as, it was a real difficult situation in the past for both the parents and students( a real situation of they can't have it or leave it, it is irrefutable. The parents whose children have gone through such a system (of the past), can remember how cumbersome and painful it has been for them in the past.

3.    In the Past, there was no Standard and Common Parameters for the Students to be evaluated at National Level ( excepting a few entrance tests for top bracket institutions) as has been mandated broad-based and inclusively, under NTA now, through the Entrance Examinations, to be admitted to same subject and stream of higher education, as every State was doing it differently at State Level, even some times, the timings were quite different for any local reasons, it was a great chaos if really looked at the Past affairs of the subject matter, with due diligence. I need not write and explain more on this, it is self explanatory if one looks through the past system in all fairness.

4.    NTA was established at Central Government Level, as a nodal testing agency,  at National Level, like other large and developed countries of the World have at their National Level, to let the Students of India go through a just and proper, limited number of Entrance Tests for Higher Education, being evaluated with a Common Standard of Testing and Parameters, similarly allowing the Youth of India to seek employment for some sectors being evaluated with a Common Standard of Testing and Parameters for recruitment, at a level playing field for all concerned, that were entrusted to the NTA. Thus the Purpose of Establishing NTA by the Central Government of India has been Benevolent, Genuine, Visionary, Path Breaking and for Creating a Level Playing Field for everyone concerned in the related fields of NTA at the National Level. The Purpose of creating NTA can not be refuted or challenged, ... as it has been mandated absolutely in the National Interest.  However, the malfunctions that have cropped up or if has cropped up any where or some where in the system, it has to be cured and the NTA system has to be improved, it can not be denied. Taking cognizance of this fact and need, the steps in the right directions as visible, are being taken by the Government of India and all concerned in this direction, repeated assurances are also being said in public domain by the Government of India to be recognized and noted rightly. 

Therefore, those who are demanding or writing about dissolving (killing ) of NTA or NEET and NET system of Testing Facilities of India; which have been painstakingly built at Central Level by the Government of India by all co-operations from all sides including the States of India; all those who had come forward to support to build it, should refrain from making such demands ( to kill/dissolve the NTA and Neet System in place), that are not in the National Interest. They should rather say and suggest constructively, how the NTA System can be made Robust, Error Free and Transparent, that could be the just and fair way of saying and making demands for action that could be expected from them, and of course the Government of India side should be receptive to such constructive ideas to cure and improve the NTA system. 

As I wrote above, several steps have already been taken by Govt of India in recent days, to Strengthen the NTA System, to make it absolutely Robust, Error Free and Transparent, it has already been brought under a Stringent Legal Framework by enactment of the New Law ( said above ) effective from 21-June-2024, and the Government of India has been assuring repeatedly that they are committed to make NTA System Robust, Error Free and Transparent, for which Steps have been taken, work in progress and further steps, as required will be taken.

It should be expected that all concerned, from all sides should contribute positively and constructively, by fairly suggesting ( or if they wish so, also demanding in their ways, so fairly and not unfairly) as to what more could be done for achieving the expected performance parameters of NTA by improving it (that is fair enough) to make it absolutely Robust, Error Free and Transparent; that Government of India in fact, has been assuring profusely, in stead of ( those who are doing so) suggesting and demanding for dissolving (killing) of NTA and NEET related system which ( if done so ) will push the Nation and its People backwards, to the Night Mare of Past for handling the Myriad Number of Entrance Examinations throughout the Country which were conducted in the past by all States in the most varied and diverse manner.

I am sure, I am placing the views in a very balanced manner, that should be understood rightly.  Building such a huge system such as NTA to operate as fair, just and equitable to people in general and to all, should need patience and perseverance to cure malfunctions and improve it, of course it goes without saying that, without sacrificing the cause of the people at large under all circumstances.

With best regards,
Dr. Nimain Charan Biswal,
Mumbai, India


About the Author: Dr. Nimain Charan Biswal is a B.Sc.(Agri. Science and Technology), M.B.A. and Ph.D.(Management Area ) by qualifications; and he has 38+ years of work experience in both industrial and development sectors in diversified fields of social importance. He has been educated at Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT)-Bhubaneswar, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and Gujarat University (with Resource Support of IIM-Ahmedabad). He is further educated at IIM-Calcutta, XLRI-Jamshedpur, Apple Computer Industries and Spar Inc., USA. He has worked for reputed National and International Organizations in Senior/Top Management Capacities at Board level as well as Managing Director and CEO. He is a management expert covering extensive areas from management in industrial sectors, management in agriculture and dairy, development management to management of public systems. He is a prominent professional of India and known Internationally as well. He lives at Mumbai in India.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DR. V. KURIEN HAD SOME QUALITIES LESS PUBLISHED (TRIBUTE ON HIS DEATH ANNIVERSARY ON 09 SEPTEMBER)

  DR. V. KURIEN HAD SOME QUALITIES LESS PUBLISHED         (TRIBUTE ON HIS DEATH ANNIVERSARY ON 09 SEPTEMBER) Based on my direct experience and interaction in person with Dr. Verghese Kurien ( in short well known as Dr. V. Kurien ), popularly celebrated as the Milk Man of India or the Father of White Revolution of India, the former Chairman of GCMMF Ltd. ( Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Limited-Amul ) and the former Chairman of National Dairy Development Board ( of India) as well as recipient of World Food Prize, I honourably place few lines as some qualities Dr. Kurien had but normally less published, as tribute to Dr. V. Kurien on his death Anniversary falling on 09 September.       1.     Dr. Kurien was a highly responsive communicator: I justify by an instance. In 1989, I used to work as a Branch Manager in charge of Patna (Undivided Bihar then) Office of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (GCMMF,Amul), the position was of course fairly ju
Read more

WHEN PROTEGES DEFY AND CROSS THE PATH OF THEIR MENTORS, BOUND TO REMAIN IN SOME POOR LIGHT IN THE TIME LINE OF HISTORY

  WHEN PROTEGES DEFY AND CROSS THE PATH OF THEIR MENTORS,  BOUND TO REMAIN IN SOME POOR LIGHT IN THE TIME LINE OF HISTORY   The meaning of “Protege” is a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person. The older and more experienced or influential person who guides and supports for the progress of a protege is called as a “Mentor”. Most of the times, the Mentors try to project and promote their proteges to act as their successors as well. In an article published in “The Chronicle of Evidence-based Mentoring” on September 13, 2015 written by Jean Rhodes, the following 25-Top and Celebrated Mentoring examples of recent times were cited and I am placing here under the quotes: Quote : 1. Best known for her talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah Winfrey was mentored by celebrated author and poet, the late Maya Angelou. “She was there for me always, guiding me through some of the most important years of my life,” Winfrey said. “Mentors
Read more

THE MENACE OF BLOCKING AND MUTING IN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

THE MENACE OF BLOCKING AND MUTING  IN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS  The biggest nuisance in Social Medial Platforms today is the Hooliganism of Blocking and Muting by the Administrators. The Democratic Principles and Freedom of Speech of the Members of Social Media Groups are being attacked by vested interests. Some persons having vested interests and nexus acquire Administrator/Moderator rights in the social media groups and use that administrator rights to terrorize the members of blocking and muting.  The Administrators of Vested Interests create a group of hooligans around them to exploit the situation and realize the best returns for their vested interests. Those Administrators also create a group of their supporters by placating them by lure of various means. Those hooligans thus created by the Administrators of vested interest try to attack and intimidate the Upright and Honest members who genuinely and diligently raise voice against exploitation of the situation by the Administrato
Read more

WHAT I FELT WHEN IN THE WHOLE OF MEDIA A BUNCH OF TYCOONS, HONCHOS AND BIASED-ECONOMISTS OF INDIA WERE REJOICING FOR SALE OF "AIR INDIA" TO TATA : ITS LIKE SELLING THE UTENSILS OF OUR INDIAN NATIONAL KITCHEN .....SAD....VERY SAD…

  WHAT I FELT WHEN IN THE WHOLE OF MEDIA  A BUNCH OF TYCOONS, HONCHOS AND BIASED-ECONOMISTS OF OF INDIA  WERE REJOICING FOR SALE OF "AIR INDIA" TO TATA : ITS LIKE SELLING THE UTENSILS OF OUR INDIAN NATIONAL KITCHEN .....SAD....VERY SAD… Two days back, in the Whole of Media a bunch of Tycoons, Hunchos and Biased-Economists have rejoiced on Sale of "Air India" to Tata. While a bunch of "Tycoons and Hunchos" and "Biased-Economists" were rejoicing all around in the media for Sale of "Air India" to Tata and may be in their offices and homes, I was : VERY VERY SAD. Because, I felt as if the "Utensils of our Indian National Kitchen" were getting sold. It was so sad for me...... When the Utensils of our Kitchen gets sold how do we eat ? Eat on the Floor or borrow an utensil from somebody ..... Will the 2-AIR INDIA ONEs bought at a Price of Rs. 8000/- Crores go to TATA or stay ? Let it also go to Tata why not ? Every time when
Read more

A TEACHER PAR EXCELLENCE, A HUMAN PAR EXCELLENCE, YOU ARE IMMORTAL BY YOUR SPECIAL PLACE

Image
  A TEACHER PAR EXCELLENCE,  A HUMAN PAR EXCELLENCE, YOU ARE IMMORTAL BY YOUR SPECIAL PLACE… YOU REMAIN FOR EVER IN HEART AND MIND…..AND IN MEMORY……   A Tribute to My Teacher and Educationist : Shri Lakshman Mishra (Former Head Master of Laxmidhar Municipal High School Dhenkanal), on his sad demise on June 05, 2022. ( My Revered Teacher and Educationist, Shri Lakshman Mishra, Former Head Master of Laxmidhar Municipal High School, Dhenkanal, Odisha, India; addressed in this article of tribute, as My Teacher- Shri Lakshman Mishra, with reverence, with utmost respect and utmost honours to identify appropriately, remember and place him at highest level of respects and honours of my association as Teacher-Student and also at Family level for 49 years to date. The best is to evidence him as a Teacher and Educationist par excellence, an Excellent and Rare human being who lived in this world, with  my own experience and relationship with him cherished over 49years, that I have depicted wit
Read more

DO YOU THROW EMPTY POUCHES OF MILK WASHED OR UNWASHED? THROW IT WASHED AND BE CONSIDERATE FOR THE HUMAN SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

  DO YOU THROW EMPTY POUCHES OF MILK WASHED OR UNWASHED? THROW IT WASHED AND BE CONSIDERATE FOR THE HUMAN SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT   What I am writing in this article might or might not have been noticed or considered by many, however it has lot of importance for the human society and environment at large. Only being aware of and giving few seconds to wash the empty milk pouches by water after you drain the milk out of it for your consumption and before you throw it into your trash bin or any where would help the environment and the society at large.  Kindly consider the facts I am presenting below. In India, right now about 62million litres ( 62,000,000 litres ) of liquid milk is being sold per day ( every day ) in plastic pouches which the people all around are buying on daily basis. About 70% of it in 500ml  Plastic Pouch Packing and 30% of it in 1Litre Plastic Pouch Packing. That means about 43.4 million litres in 500ml pouch and 18.6 million litres in 1Litre pouch p
Read more

COMMUNITY OXYGEN PROVISIONING FACILITIES MAY BE THE NORM IN FUTURE

  COMMUNITY OXYGEN PROVISIONING FACILITIES MAY BE THE NORM IN FUTURE   With Covid-19 second wave taking exponential surge in India, it is the Oxygen that has been found to be the most scarce essential that is experienced in the present scenario. As per media reports, Covid-19 patients have been dying due to non-availability of Oxygen in Hospitals around the country. All around efforts have been going on at all levels whether Government, Private or Public Sectors to make medical grade Oxygen available to save lives.  The issue of Oxygen Availability has been the most daunting emergency right now in India.   Traditionally, in India, use of Medical Grade Oxygen through Oxygen Cylinders or Oxygen Tanks installed at Hospitals is the normal practice. In case of household need also in emergency cases, the Oxygen Cylinders used to be the generally workable norm. Slowly for household use, portable Oxygen Concentrators ( a small machine operated by electric or battery, that filters Oxygen
Read more

THE FARMERS OF CO-OPERATIVE DAIRIES OR DAIRY FARMERS WOULD NEVER DITCH AGRICULTURE FARMERS’ INTEREST

THE FARMERS OF CO-OPERATIVE DAIRIES OR DAIRY FARMERS WOULD NEVER DITCH AGRICULTURE FARMERS’ INTEREST I am a bit surprised, that repeatedly, articles and statements are being published in the internet in the name of a sitting Chief Executive of one of the Largest Co-operative Dairy Federations of India, that are quite  inconsistent with the interest of the Farmers of India, whether they may be Agriculture Farmers or any other fields allied to Agriculture. His views may be personal for targeting any interest he may have, however, I am sure his views are never representing the Dairy Co-operatives or Dairy Farmers of India. Categorically in an article published in the internet, he states that there is no MSP(Minimum Support Price) in Dairy (Milk), Fisheries and Poultry by giving a cryptic and satiric look to the   MSP prevalent for Agricultural Crops to assist the farmers growing food crops for the 1300 million population India has to feed right now. Further he says as mentioned
Read more

WRONG PEG IN RIGHT HOLE, THE DANGEROUS COMPROMISE

Image
  WRONG PEG IN RIGHT HOLE THE DANGEROUS COMPROMISE The dictionary meaning of “Compromise” is:   the expedient acceptance of standards that are lower than is desirable. In most common language, a “compromise” is a sub-optimal solution to a problem that is accepted as a settlement or by choice. There is a popular saying that; “Round Peg to Square Hole” and “Square Peg to Round Hole “ do not work. The “Round Peg to Square Hole” and “Square Peg to Round Hole “are situations of mismatch or compromise which are not standard or optimal solutions and are abnormal situations that would not work well due to gaps between the shapes of the peg and the hole in either of the cases. Both the situations can be explained by geometrical diagrams as follows, while the color of the Peg is Yellow and the color of the Hole is Red: In both the above situations there are significant gaps at four corners or four sides of the holes and the Pegs do not match exactly with the holes. The gaps are empty gap
Read more

WIDOWHOOD HAS A LIFE WHICH HAS TO BE LET LIVE DIGNIFIED AND RESPECTFULLY

  WIDOWHOOD HAS A LIFE WHICH HAS TO BE LET LIVE DIGNIFIED AND RESPECTFULLY             I have been motivated to write on such a topic which could also be quite sensitive; since I read reports publicly published globally that during Covid-19, the fatality (death) of men is around two times that of women. It means the number of men who have died (also continuing to pass away) is twice that of women who have died (also continuing to pass away in the same ratio). That means, the number of married women who have lost their husbands would be twice the number of married men who have lost their wives and thus a large number of widows have been placed in the society during Covid-19 pandemic. Since this phenomenon came to my attention, I have been doing some research about how the people of such large number who are getting widowed would be conducting in the society, as historically a widow has a very constricted environment in the society; to operate culturally, socially, economically and ind
Read more