The University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced on July 18 that the Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET) will not be held this year. The common entrance test for admission to central universities may be implemented from the next academic session (2022-2023).
The Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET) is a test for admission to various undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programmes across central and state-level universities in India.
“In view of prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, admission process in Central Universities during Acad Session 2021-22, may continue as per past practice. Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET) may be implemented from Acad Session 2022-23,” UGC tweeted.
The CUCET was recommended in the national education policy (NEP) 2020. In December 2020, the then Union ministry of education Ramesh Pakhriyal constituted a seven-member committee to propose modalities for the Central University Common Entrance Test (CUCET) for admission to undergraduate courses across central universities in accordance with the NEP, 2020.
"The National Testing Agency (NTA) will work to offer a high-quality common aptitude test, as well as specialized common subject exams in the sciences, humanities, languages, arts, and vocational subjects, at least twice every year," the NEP 2020 had envisioned.
UGC has also released the guidelines for exams and the academic calendar on July 16. As per the guidelines, the admissions process for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes is likely to begin next month. Candidates can check the official notice available on the official website of UGC on ugc.ac.in.
“The provisions as contained in the guidelines issued earlier as mentioned above apply for the current academic session 2020-21. Further, the terminal semester/ final year exam be compulsorily conducted in offline/online mode by no later than August 31, 2021, following the prescribed protocols/guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” notice mentions.
