'No Retest for CUET' for students who have missed the test: UGC Chairman

Mamidala Jagdesh Kumar, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), announced on Friday that there would not be a retest for students who missed the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for admissions to central universities.

The statement from the chairman came after students from various cities missed the entrance test because of a sudden change in the exam centre. Mr Kumar explained that this would not have happened if only students had reached the centres on time.

He added that students were advised to reach the centre two hours before the exam. Not only that, but they also have a grace period of 30 minutes after the exam begins. No student is allowed to enter after that.


Earlier, some news agencies reported that the exam would be conducted again, but Mr Kumar has categorically discarded the option of holding a retest.

The test got cancelled due to technical issues in West Bengal at New Jalpaiguri and in Punjab in Pathankot, so chances are that 197 candidates from Punjab and West Bengal might get an option of retest.

One of the students who suffered due to a change in the exam centre informed that she was told about the exam centre shift after reaching the location. And until she travelled to the correct exam centre, the CUET entrance test was complete.

However, despite a last-minute change, many candidates reached the centres and appeared for the exam.

National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the first-ever CUET in two phases. More than half of the 14.9 lakh students who registered across subjects are in the first phase (July 15, 16, 19 and 20).

UGC chairman informed that 85% of students appeared for the first test. He added that the CUET first phase test was conducted at 285 centres across India. He initially gave information about the arrangements of 5000 CCTV cameras and 1500 mobile signal instruments and then cleared the no-retest policy.

Phase 2 is scheduled for August.

The CUET exam will change how undergraduate admissions are held in the country, especially at famous central universities like Delhi University, where 12th class scores were a judgement factor.

It is India's second highest admission test, the first being the medical entrance exam, NEET-UG.

Phase 2 is only for Physics, Chemistry and Biology to reduce the burden on students taking the NEET-UG this month, on July 17.