The University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) is most likely to see a change in its pattern from next June, Prof DN Reddy, UGC member, has said.

During the consultations, Reddy said that two anomalies were pointed out by the faculty and students in the current NET examination pattern. They are conducting the exam in objective pattern without negative marking and testing subjects in paper-II and Paper-III out of three papers. The former JNTU vice-chancellor was addressing the UGC regional consultation on review of NET examination pattern at Osmania University here on Saturday organised by the UGC’s Southern Eastern Regional Office (SERO).

The process is as part of consultations carried out across the nation by the UGC to review various pedagogic, academic, technical and administrative issues.

Explaining the impact of negative marking, Reddy, who is also the chairman of Recruitment and Assessment Centre (RAC), DRDO, said that the number of candidates clearing the NET examination has been doubled after removing the negative marking which has increased the percentage of candidates clearing the NET from 5 to 10 per cent. The UGC member said that they have been conducting a similar kind of review committee meetings across the nation where the opinions are taken on the scheme of examination, subject, syllabus, developing question banks, evaluation process, eligibility criteria, organisational issues and research and development. Eliciting his opinion on the current NET examination pattern, Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) chairman Prof P Jayaprakasha Rao said in the current pattern the UGC awards fellowships to the few toppers in the NET examination and the candidates followed them in the merit will be awarded lectureship. Stating that the candidates opting for research and teaching should possess different kind of knowledge and attitude, the APSCHE chairman asked the UGC to conduct two different exams one for awarding lecturership and another for presenting fellowships.

The APSCHE chairman opined that the examination must have a mix up of various type of questions like few short answer questions and at least a couple of essay type questions.

Later the consultation committee had an open discussion with faculty members of various southern states, research scholars and students which was co-ordinated by Andhra Pradesh State Eligibility Test (APSET) member secretary Prof B Rajeswara Reddy.

Vice-chancellors of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) Prof Mohammad Miyan, Osmania University Prof S Satyanarayana, Dr BR Ambedkar Open University Prof Prakash, retired faculty of EFLU Prof Jacob Tharu, joint secretary, UGC (SERO), G Srinivas and others were present.

Source: http://newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/Changes-likely-in-UGC-...