UGC-NET exams on Jan 15 that clashed with festivals postponed: NTA

The National Testing Agency said the new date of exam will be announced later and the exam scheduled on January 16 will be conducted as per schedule

NEW DELHI: The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Monday in a public notice announced that the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) scheduled for January 15, 2025 (Wednesday), has been postponed due to Makar Sankranti and Pongal festivals. The revised date of the exam scheduled for Wednesday will be announced later, the agency said.

NTA said that the decision to postpone the examination was taken in the interest of students (File image)

NTA said that the decision to postpone the examination was taken in the interest of students. The examinations of 17 subjects including mass communication and journalism, law, electronic science, and environmental sciences are scheduled to be held in two shifts on January 15.

“The National Testing Agency has received representation to postpone the UGC - NET December 2024 examination on account of Pongal, Makar Sankranti, and other festivals on 15th January 2025. In the interest of aspirants, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has decided to postpone the UGC-NET December 2024 Exam scheduled on 15th January 2025 only,” the agency said in a statement.

On January 9, Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin urged union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to reschedule the UGC-NET exams scheduled to be held during the Pongal festival season. On December 22, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, 2024, had also urged the Centre to postpone the exam that clashed with the festival.

The exam scheduled on January 16 will be conducted as per earlier schedule, NTA further said. The exams of 13 subjects, including Sociology, German, and Hindu studies are scheduled for January 16.

UGC-NET is a national-level exam in India conducted twice a year by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of UGC for the award of a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), appointment as assistant professor, and admission to PhD courses.