The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Wednesday, 17 August, said that the fourth phase of the Central University Entrance Test (CUET)-UG was cancelled at 13 centres due to "unavoidable technical reasons."
As many as 8,693 candidates have been affected because of it, the UGC said.
"Due to some unavoidable technical reasons, the examination scheduled for today was cancelled in 13 centres in Shift 1 and Shift 2. A total of 8693 candidates were affected out of 1,45,885 candidates," the UGC said.
"New exam date for the affected students will be declared on Thursday. It is proposed to hold these examinations on 25 August," UGC Chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
In the recent past, the exam was similarly postponed multiple times owing to technical glitches. The second phase of CUET was marred by issues prompting the National Testing Agency (NTA), which is responsible for conducting the exam, to cancel it at various centres.
The exam in second and third phases was also cancelled at centres in Kerala and Itanagar due to rains and landslides.
'Sheer Incompetence of Modi Sarkar': Jairam Ramesh
Hitting out at the Narendra Modi government over the frequent postponements of the CUET, Jairam Ramesh, general secretary, in-charge of Communications for Congress, said, the real reason behind the "repeated" delay is "sheer incompetence and lack of preparation by Modi Sarkar!"
"The Common University Entrance Test had to be cancelled in 13 centres today affecting close to 8700 aspirants. This has been happening repeatedly under the excuse of ‘unavoidable technical glitches'. The real reason is sheer incompetence and lack of preparation by Modi Sarkar!" Ramesh tweeted.
On Wednesday, students from centres including Guru Hargobind Institute of Management and Information Technology in Delhi, Asia Pacific Institute in Jasola (Delhi) AIS Assessment Zone, Aakash International Senior Secondary School in Delhi's Nangloi and Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies in Pitampura, had claimed they were asked to go back citing technical glitches and server problems.
A student who did not wish to be named told news agency PTI, "It is a total mess. Fourth phase is being conducted and the exam cancellations are still going on. Such an experiment with our careers and academic lives."
The fourth phase began on Wednesday with nearly 3.6 lakh candidates scheduled to appear in the exam.
According to the initial plan, all phases of the CUET-UG were scheduled to conclude on 20 August. The National Testing Agency (NTA), had later announced that all phases of the exam will conclude on 28 August.
However, now the schedule has been further deferred and the exam has been split into six phases.
The CUET is the common gateway for undergraduate admissions in all central universities.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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