The opposition continued to batter the state government over the difficulties faced by Meghalaya students in sitting the Common University Entrance Test – Undergraduate (CUET-UG) exam, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) dubbing the crisis as a “manufactured mess”, while the Congress Party attacked the government for its “inaction”.
TMC leader Richard Marak expressed deep concern that, for the third consecutive year, students from Meghalaya are suffering due to what he said was the state government’s continued failure to ensure adequate CUET-UG exam centres within the state.
“Students from both Khasi-Jaintia and Garo Hills have once again been allotted centres in far-flung locations like Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Mizoram, Nagaland and even Kolkata, causing tremendous financial, physical and mental strain on families, especially those from rural and economically weak backgrounds,” Marak said. “This is not a sudden crisis, but a repeated and predictable failure.”
Marak criticised the government for a lack of planning and leadership. “While the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) allocation process has contributed to these challenges, the government knew exactly what was needed. Instead of planning ahead, the Education Minister now scrambles to write to the NTA after allocations have already been made. It’s an afterthought, not leadership.”
Marak also questioned the Chief Minister’s appeal to the Union Education Minister at a meeting on Sunday, saying it “may appear proactive, but does nothing to hide the truth: this government is responding to a fire it refused to put out when it had the chance.”
The Education Minister’s claim that 200 additional nodes have been identified and sent to the implementing agency Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for inspection is “welcome, but too little, too late”, Marak said. “Why was this not prioritised earlier in the year, well before exam allocations? Why wait for students to suffer before reacting?”
The solution, he added, lies in basic planning, timely coordination with the NTA, early infrastructure readiness and political will. “The government must establish a dedicated task force by June 2025 to ensure sufficient CUET-UG centres are certified for 2026.”
Marak concluded that the state government’s failure to address the CUET-UG exam crisis is undermining the opportunities of Meghalaya’s students. “This is not just a shortcoming; it’s a failure with serious consequences. Meghalaya deserves better than a government that wakes up only when it’s too late.”
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) strongly condemned the state government’s reported inaction, which state Congress secretary Manuel Badwar said is putting the academic prospects of numerous students at risk.
Badwar questioned the rationale behind the delay in finalising recommendations to TCS for conducting exams through the NTA.
“The delay in identifying and submitting recommendations to TCS for conducting tests via NTA seems unnecessary, especially given the availability of data on graduating students and college applicants,” Badwar said.
He pointed out that this is jeopardising the futures of students who are awaiting entrance exams to pursue higher education. “The government’s lack of promptness is not only affecting the students but also the entire education system in the state,” Badwar added.
The MPCC has demanded that the state government take immediate action to recommend a testing agency and ensure that the entrance exams are conducted smoothly and on time. “The government must prioritise the education and future of our students and take corrective measures to address this issue,” Badwar said.
