Kanimozhi Urges Education Minister To Reschedule UGC NET Exam Dates Due To Pongal – News18

Last Updated:December 22, 2024, 13:50 IST

UGC NET December 2025: Due to Pongal falling on January 15 and 16, DMK’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has requested the Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to immediately reschedule the exam.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is set to conduct the UGC NET 2024 exam for the December cycle from January 3 to 16, 2025. Due to Pongal falling on January 15 and 16, DMK’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has requested the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to immediately reschedule the exam. She also added that this move shows “insensitivity” towards the culture of Tamil Nadu.

“I have written to the Union Education Minister, urging an immediate change in the exam dates for the UGC NET, which has been scheduled on the day of Pongal, January 15 and 16. This lack of consideration is becoming a pattern, as we recently had to fight for a date change when the CA exams were also scheduled on Pongal. I strongly condemn this appalling decision by the BJP-led Union Government, as it shows complete insensitivity towards the sentiments of Tamil Nadu,” Kanimozhi posted on the microblogging site, X.

Adding that “Pongal is not just a festival; it is a celebration of Tamil pride and identity”, the minister demanded the “immediate rescheduling of the exam to respect the cultural values of Tamil Nadu and ensure no student is forced to choose between their education and their tradition.”

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct UGC NET for December 2024 session for the award of a Junior Research Fellowship and appointment as Assistant Professor,  appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D.’ and admission to Ph.D. only. The examinations will be held for 85 subjects. It will be conducted in two shifts each day. The first shift will be conducted from 9 AM to 12 PM and the second shift will be held from 3 PM to 6 PM.