Twice a year tests, uniform syllabus, changed timings: Coaching federation proposes reforms for smooth conduct of NEET exam
Twice a year tests, uniform syllabus, changed timings: Coaching federation proposes reforms for smooth conduct of NEET exam
The Coaching Federation of India (CFI) has drafted a series of recommendations to ensure the smooth conduct of examinations in the country, which it plans to submit to the Government of India, the federation said in a press conference on Saturday.
The key proposals made by the federation include
📌 Changing the NEET exam pattern from once a year to twice a year, similar to the JEE exam. The federation suggests conducting a screening test in April, followed by a main exam later in the year, mirroring the JEE Main and JEE Advanced format. This, they believe, will help create a robust screening process for medical aspirants, reduce instances of malpractice, and better manage the large number of candidates.
📌 Switching to a computer-based test (CBT) format for the exam. This, according to the CFI, will help minimize instances of paper leaks as the "touch points" of the question paper will be limited.
📌 Improving the online infrastructure of government schools and colleges to enable the conduct of online exams. The federation also suggested involving more corporate players in this domain to enhance the ease and efficiency of online exams."The government can allocate a budget to improve the online infrastructure of govt schools and colleges so that the requisite infrastructure is available for conducting online exams. Today TCS is the only major player in this field and if more corporations can come, then the ease and efficiency of conducting online exams will increase and paper leaks will reduce substantially,” federation members said.
📌 Restructuring the exam timing and syllabus. The federation proposed concluding board exams by March and then holding the entrance exams in April and May, as the current timing in January creates anxiety and distraction for students. “January is the time when students are focusing on their board exams, so conducting these important entrance exams and also declaring the results during those months creates a lose-lose situation for students, who are not able to concentrate properly on either, and end up with anxiety and depression,” Keshav Agarwal of the CFI said.
📌Implementing a "one nation, one syllabus" approach and removing the board exam weightage clause from all entrance exams to ensure a level playing field for students. “It is in public knowledge that some state boards have easier syllabus and some states have recorded cases of cheating. It is unfair to students from other states to compete in such situations as the board result weightage can undo all their efforts,” a member said.
The federation also recommended several other changes, such as restructuring the National Testing Agency (NTA), limiting outsourcing of exam conduction, improving CCTV coverage and secure storage facilities at exam centers, and creating more online test centers. "If offline exams are to be continued, the CFI members should create four zones, and have four sets (around 16) of the question papers," they said.
While PhysicsWallah founder, Alakh Pandey, has been vocal about filing petitions on behalf of NEET students, the CFI has criticised him for using the issue for personal gain. “Not talking about one individual or institution, but CFI believes we should be careful that we do not use this controversy for our publicity. If one wants to help students, they should, but they should do it without courting media attention. We do not support any anti-government sentiments, our sole aim is to ensure students get justice,” said Agarwal.
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