India's National Testing Agency cancelled three UGC-NET exam papers after admitting to repeated questions, spelling errors, and factual inaccuracies [1], [2].
The decision affects thousands of candidates seeking eligibility for university teaching and research. The errors raise significant concerns regarding the fairness and integrity of a national-level examination used to determine academic careers.
The National Testing Agency announced that the English, Commerce, and Sociology papers will be scrapped and rescheduled [2]. The original examinations took place on June 30, 2026 [3].
Reports indicated that the English paper was particularly affected, with 67 repeated questions [2]. Another report noted a range of 65 to 67 repeated questions [5]. Given that the English paper contained a total of 150 questions [4], nearly half of the content was recycled from previous exams.
Beyond repeated content, the agency acknowledged typographical and translation issues [1]. In the sociology paper, candidates reported that the name of the scholar Ritzer was printed as "Putzer" [6]. The agency said that typographical errors are not unusual in such large-scale tests [2].
The agency announced the cancellations and the plan for fresh examinations on the Sunday following the initial test date in early July [3]. The NTA said the move was necessary to ensure the accuracy and fairness of the eligibility test [2].
Candidates in cities such as Hyderabad, Telangana, were among those who flagged the discrepancies [1], [4]. The agency has not yet provided a specific timeline for the rescheduled dates for all affected subjects.
“The National Testing Agency cancelled three UGC-NET exam papers after admitting to repeated questions.”
The cancellation of these papers highlights systemic vulnerabilities in the NTA's quality control and paper-setting processes. By recycling nearly half of the questions in one subject, the agency risked rewarding candidates with access to old question banks over those with current subject mastery. This incident increases pressure on Indian educational authorities to implement more rigorous auditing of national exams to prevent academic instability.
