After UGC's failure, CBSE to conduct NET

NEW DELHI: Central Board of Secondary Education, the country's largest exam conducting body, is all set to add another test to its bouquet, the National Eligibility Test. The inclusion of the test from this year will make the board the biggest exam conducting body, with the number of CBSE candidates set to cross 65 lakh in a year.

After failing to conduct the test without hiccups, the University Grants Commission, with the HRD ministry's consent, has asked the CBSE to conduct the test. The decision was taken at the full commission meeting on Tuesday with near unanimity. The NET is conducted twice a year for grant of junior research fellowship and eligibility for assistant professor in institutions of higher learning.

With the addition of NET, the CBSE undoubtedly becomes the largest exam conducting body globally. Apart from conducting the Classes X and XII Board exams for its affiliate schools, it also conducts the pre-medical entrance test, joint engineering entrance (main) and the central teachers eligibility test. It also conducts the Class X optional proficiency test.

In a year, the CBSE has been conducting different qualifying, eligibility and entrance tests for over 63 lakh candidates. With NET, its number is likely to go beyond 65 lakh. In the June 29 2014 NET exam, over 33,000 candidates appeared for the test, which is up by 25% from that of the test conducted in December 2013.