Chennai, Jan 14 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin commended the Union Education Ministry for its decision to postpone the UGC-National Eligibility Test (NET), originally scheduled for January 15. In a social media post on X, Stalin stated: I had written to the Union Education Minister requesting the rescheduling of the UGC-NET exams. It is a rightful decision that the exams have now been postponed! It has become a recurring practice for the Union Government to announce major exams on Tamil cultural festival days, only to reschedule them following state intervention. Let us hope that, moving forward, every institution in this country respects its rich diversity and considers the sentiments of all its people when making decisions, CM Stalin said.On January 13, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the postponement of the UGC-NET, citing multiple requests from various stakeholders. In an official statement, Rajesh Kumar, Director (Exams), NTA, said: The NTA has received representations to postpone the exam on January 15 on account of festivals, including Pongal and Makar Sankranti. In the interest of the aspirants, the exam has been postponed, and a new date will be announced later. The initial UGC-NET schedule included 17 examinations on January 15, covering subjects such as mass communication and journalism, law, electronic science, and environmental sciences.

Another 14 examinations were set for January 16, a public holiday observed as Thiruvalluvar Day in Tamil Nadu. The decision to schedule exams during Pongal festivities sparked widespread protests in the state. The student wing of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) announced statewide demonstrations against the NTA for what they termed an insensitive decision. DMK Students Wing Secretary and MLA, CVMP Ezhilarasan, strongly criticised the move, stating that it disrespects Tamil cultural traditions and sentiments.

In his statement, Ezhilarasan called on the NTA and the Centre to reschedule the exams, asserting that holding the tests during Pongal undermines the festival's importance. He warned of statewide protests if the dates were not revised. CPI(M) leader and Madurai MP Su Venkatesan also condemned the Central government, accusing it of repeatedly scheduling exams during Pongal holidays. In a post on X, he said: Last month, we had to protest against the CA examination date scheduled for January 14, which was later changed. Now, the UGC-NET exam has been scheduled during Pongal week. This shows a lack of respect for Tamil cultural traditions.

Venkatesan added that Pongal is a deeply emotional festival for Tamilians, celebrating farmers and their contributions, and that holding exams during the celebrations causes inconvenience to students. He confirmed writing to the Union Education Minister, requesting a rescheduling. The UGC-NET is a crucial exam for determining eligibility for assistant professor positions, Junior Research Fellowships (JRF), and Ph.D. admissions. Conducted twice a year, it is a significant milestone for aspiring academics and researchers.

/IANS