SHILLONG, April 29: The Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) on Friday urged the University Grant Commission (UGC) to review its decision on CUET in the interest of the students’ community in remote parts of India in general and Meghalaya in particular.
“We would appeal the UGC, being an institution, to guide the nation in education and reconsider its decision on this matter and have a review on the pros and cons of this agenda of Single Window Agency in all matters of education,” HNYF president, Sadon K Blah wrote in a letter addressed to UGC Chairman, M Jagadesh Kumar.
Blah observed that the experimental venture by the UGC is akin to toying with the future of students wanting to enroll in UG courses in different colleges all over the country as well as in Meghalaya. “UGC is converting the students’ community into guinea pigs. This is daylight robbery in the form of fees ranging from Rs 400 to Rs 800 to be collected from crores of students clearing their Class XII exams,” Blah said.
He pointed out that there is no clarity on how students, who score decent percentages in Class XII exams but fail to clear the CUET, can be admitted in UG courses.
“Does this directive of UGC imply that such students will be denied the right to higher education just because they failed to clear CUET? There are many such students who simply want to have a degree certificate without any professional courses which might open up opportunities for various competitive exams. Is UGC denying them their right?” Blah questioned.
Stating that CUET will be conducted in computer based test (CBT) mode, he observed that a large percentage of Meghalaya is rural and the IT sector is yet to evolve. “Internet connections and other logistics will prove to be a herculean task,” he added.