In a major development in the Indian education sector, the Union Government has announced the merger of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) with the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). This announcement was made by the University Grants Commission (UGC) chief, and the merger is expected to be implemented within the next two years.

NEET, JEE, and CUET Merger: What to Expect in 2 Years

• UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar revealed that the Common University Entrance Test (CUET)-UG will be conducted in three shifts in a day this year instead of two and plans for its merger with JEE and NEET will be announced at least two years in advance.
• Kumar said that the UGC and NTA are prepared to ensure that the second edition of CUET-UG is glitch-free and all issues have been ironed out.
• Extra computers and centres have been arranged as a backup plan to shift candidates in case there are any glitches during the exam, and the schedule has been decided in a way that the academic calendar can be brought back on track from this year.
• CUET-UG was conducted in July last year and was marred by glitches, prompting the NTA to cancel the exam at multiple centres. The UGC chairman had then said the exam at certain centres has been cancelled following reports of “sabotage”.
• CUET centres have been identified in three categories: Category A centres are absolutely fine, category B centres need some groundwork, and category C centres will not be used this time.
  The exam will be conducted over ten days instead of one and a half months to minimize any errors in the normalization process.
• The normalisation formula using the “equipercentile method” has been decided by a panel comprising professors from Indian Statistical Institute, IIT Delhi and Delhi University.
• Kumar confirmed that the proposal to merge CUET with JEE and NEET is doable, and the announcement will be made at least two years in advance so that students can prepare accordingly.

What is CUET?

CUET, or the Common University Entrance Test, is a proposed entrance exam that aims to simplify the admission process for undergraduate courses in Indian universities. The exam would be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and would replace multiple entrance exams currently held by universities across the country.

Why the merger of CUET, JEE & NEET?

The merger of CUET, JEE and NEET is aimed at streamlining the admission process for undergraduate courses in India. The move is expected to reduce the burden on students who currently have to prepare for multiple entrance exams, and also simplify the admission process for universities.

The merger is also expected to improve the quality of education in the country. By conducting a single entrance exam for undergraduate courses, the government hopes to ensure that only the most deserving students are admitted to universities. This would, in turn, improve the overall standard of education in the country.

When will the merger take place?

According to the UGC chief, the merger of CUET, JEE and NEET is expected to be implemented within the next two years. This means that the first CUET exam could be held in 2025.

What will be the format of the new exam?

The exact format of the new exam is yet to be announced. However, it is expected to be a single exam that will cover the syllabus of all three exams – CUET, JEE and NEET. The exam will be conducted by the NTA, which already conducts the JEE and NEET exams.

What are the benefits of the merger?

The merger of CUET, JEE and NEET is expected to have several benefits. Firstly, it will reduce the burden on students who currently have to prepare for multiple entrance exams. This will also reduce the cost of preparing for these exams, as students will only have to buy study material for a single exam.

Secondly, the merger will simplify the admission process for universities. Currently, universities have to conduct their own entrance exams, which can be a time-consuming and costly process. With a single entrance exam, universities will be able to admit students based on a common merit list.

Finally, the merger is expected to improve the quality of education in the country. By conducting a single entrance exam, the government hopes to ensure that only the most deserving students are admitted to universities. This would, in turn, improve the overall standard of education in the country.

Conclusion

The merger of CUET, JEE and NEET is a significant development in the Indian education sector. It is expected to simplify the admission process for undergraduate courses, reduce the burden on students, and improve the quality of education in the country. While the exact format of the new exam is yet to be announced, the government’s decision to merge the three exams has been widely welcomed by students and educators alike.