Loopholes in CBSE’s NET

n 2014, the University Grants Commission (UGC) handed over the responsibility of conducting the National Eligibility Test (NET), for qualification to the post of Assistant Professor, to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Though this did not seem, on the face of it, much of a change, the harsh reality of this change sunk in on the day of the exam. The exams used to be conducted in universities or colleges earlier. These were places easily accessible, and had canteens and small time eating places around their campuses. With the exam centres shifting to CBSE schools, of which a large number are inaccessible, came their inherent culture that does not take into consideration those without a deep pocket to dip into. Many of these schools are located in the outskirts and fringes of the ever-growing cities. And many such schools exist within townships that are cut off from the rest of the world. For instance, an international school in Coimbatore is bordered off on all sides from the world outside. Probably this is how parents want their children to grow up. With the time given for lunch break, it is impossible for a candidate to reach the gate by foot and have something to eat and return to the hall on time. To add to the misery, there aren’t any eateries around such state of the art educational institutions. The management of the school also ensures that the children who study there don’t catch a glimpse of the common man’s eateries or shacks as that is not what parents want today. While some schools are kind enough to allow a classroom for students to keep their bags in which many carry their food, there are schools that don’t provide such space to leave bags too. Not every student will have a driver outside waiting with the bag in a car or parents who stand in the sun all day outside such gated communities or sit down by the shade of some lonely tree. A particular centre in Kerala had more frisking than in many airports. And it was really amusing to find a young teacher taking a man, almost twice his age to the washroom to attend nature’s call. It is, incidentally a spectacle when elderly persons, sometimes with grey hairs, attempt to clear this eligibility test to teach in colleges. When the man raised his eyebrows, the teacher told him that the rules demanded this. Thank god CBSE does not insist that the exam invigilators are supposed to ensure that the candidate uses the washroom properly. Again take the case of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, a city burgeoning on all sides, and with increasing demand for education from the new elite, many new schools are opening up in the fringes. After CBSE took the responsibility of conducting the NET exams, the centres have shifted towards such schools. For students travelling from unknown places in order to get an opportunity to serve this very nation by becoming college and university teachers, it is really inaccessible.
Another issue is that many such townships might not have local bus services and even if there is, it might be very less frequent. As for people living in such places and going to such big schools, they would definitely be using AC school buses or cars. These are issues any organisation or autonomous body must be concerned about. Like the IITs and IIMs, wouldNET too become inaccessible to the marginalised in this country soon? Change is good and development is needed, as long as it is inclusive. Any change or development that is exclusive would only lead to the increase in disparities. This is similar to the hole in the ozone layer, which if big, will destroy the nation even faster. The educational system in India is already heading towards a disaster with its disparities. A chance to save the nation is a better tomorrow. For a better tomorrow we need to educate the students today. And for that we need good teachers. And the necessary devil to become a teacher is the NET. Many have argued against the very format of this examination for the selection of a very matured and responsible position. But let us now get together and stop the very exam from becoming exclusive and bring this to the notice of the UGC and request them to look into the matter and hence make this exam candidate-friendly and more sensible and sensitive.

Source: DNA, 29-01-2017