The UGC-NET June 2024 exam, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), was cancelled on Wednesday amid concerns of paper leak. Sources have told News18 that a routine input, which included initial details of analysis by the Ministry of Home Affairs’ I4C, triggered the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam.
According to top-level sources, the input contained details about leaks, links, a brief, and screenshots, including a leaked sample paper that was later matched by Education Ministry with other details. Sources also told News18 that I4C officials found that the exam paper was being sold for Rs 5,000 on Telegram and had asked Education Ministry to act on it.
As per sources, the input mentioned about the compromise of the exam’s integrity, with the exam paper available on Telegram before the test was conducted. Sources also said that officials had traced a group where the paper was selling at Rs 10,000. Sources added that the paper was available on various groups days ahead of day of the exam.
The input has details about groups which has their subject mentioning about NET leaked. As per the input, sources said, that Telegram has emerged as the epicentre of the leak, with several groups created to maximise profits through advertisements. Multiple links were provided to the Education Ministry where the paper was being sold.
Though it has not been found yet from where the Telegram groups’ administrators got the paper, but it is expected that it was sourced through Dark web, said sources.
“Officials became aware of Telegram groups where the NET paper was being sold. During the initial analysis, social media apps showed messages of the leaked NET paper circulating from these groups. A report was prepared and sent to the Ministry of Education,” a senior official familiar with the situation told News18.
When asked about the nature of the input, the official said, “Every day, we receive information about leaks and attacks, prompting us to request action from concerned agencies, departments, or ministries. Similarly, our team found that the NET paper was being sold. It was a routine input with initial details such as links to the groups and screenshots,” the official added.
The cancellation of NET came amid a major controversy that has over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 medical entrance exam, with the matter now before the Supreme Court. On Wednesday night, the Union Education Ministry ordered the cancellation of the UGC-NET following concerns that the exam’s integrity had been compromised and referred the matter to the CBI for investigation.
CBI Registers a Case
On Thursday, the CBI registered a case against unknown accused persons under Sections 120B and 420 of the IPC based on a complaint received on 20.06.2024 from the Secretary, Department of Education, Government of India.
“The complaint alleged that on 19.06.2024, the University Grants Commission (UGC) received inputs from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analysis Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs indicating that the integrity of the UGC-NET 2024 Examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in two shifts across different cities, may have been compromised,” the CBI said in a press release.
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