Hyderabad: University of Hyderabad (UoH) on Friday emerged as the epicentre of protests with several student organisations gathering on its campus demanding that the National Testing Agency (NTA) for PhD admissions be scrapped forthwith.
The protest, spearheaded by the Ambedkar Students Association (ASA), saw the active participation of the All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA), Bahujan Students’ Front (BSF), Dalit Students Union (DSU), Fraternity Movement, Muslim Students Federation (MSF) and Tribal Students Forum (TSF).
They ridiculed the decision to rely on NTA-NET/JRF scores for PhD entrance interviews, which, they said, was tantamount to ‘undermining merit and equity’ in the admission process.
Despite exposing the structural loopholes and past failures of the NTA, UoH ignored the students’ hue and cry and decided to replace its PhD entrance exams with the NTA-NET/JRF score as the deciding factor for interview selection.
“The academic units and the university administration are complicit in this grave injustice done to students, especially those from marginalised backgrounds, who have been struggling to clear such competitive exams,” said a student from the ASA. “Instead of removing structural barriers like the NTA from its admission policies, the 'autonomous' university has repeatedly questioned students about their merit," he added.
The protestors, while demanding reinstatement of the entrance exams conducted by the varsity, pointed out that there already is a fool-proof mechanism for PhD admission through written entrance examinations. Reliance on NTA-NET scores only adds to the student's plight, they said, adding that this was another way to escape accountability.
The students’ union of UoH issued a formal letter to the vice-chancellor, demanding ‘an immediate release of notification for PhD admission through our own entrance exams.”
Meanwhile, Secunderabad Cantonment MLA Sriganesh N voiced his support for the students' demands. He participated in another protest rally on Friday afternoon, where he called for ‘stringent action against those responsible for the alleged malpractices’ in the NTA exams.
“We demand a thorough CBI investigation into these malpractices to ensure that justice is served," he said.
