NEP 2020: NTA to conduct common entrance exam for all universities

According to the newly-unveiled National Education Policy 2020, the National Testing Agency (NTA) will be provided with an additional responsibility to conduct the entrance examinations for admissions to universities across the country. The NTA currently conducts all-India engineering and medical entrance examinations including JEE-Main, NEET, JNUEE, DUET, UGC NET among others. However, as per NEP 2020, the NTA-conducted entrance exams for universities and colleges will be optional. 

The Education Ministry said, "The National Testing Agency  (NTA) will work to offer a high-quality common aptitude test, as well as specialized common subject exams in the sciences, humanities, languages, arts, and vocational subjects, at least twice every year."

"Students will be able to choose the subjects for taking the test, and each university will be able to see each student’s individual subject portfolio and admit students into their programmes based on individual interests and talents," it added.

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Four-year programme under NEP 2020

This new system has certain similarities to the standardised aptitude test or SAT that is conducted for the examinations in the United States. Marking one of the biggest changes in the education system of India, the new policy makes a significant shift in the format of undergraduate education with the introduction of four-year multidisciplinary bachelor’s program having exit options. The traditional three-year BA, BSc and other degrees will continue, but under the four-year programme, the students can exit the course after one year with a certificate, after two years with a diploma and will get a Bachelor’s degree after three years. 

The Education Ministry document said, “The 4-year multidisciplinary Bachelor's programme, however, shall be the preferred option since it allows the opportunity to experience the full range of holistic and multidisciplinary education in addition to a focus on the chosen major and minors as per the choices of the student.”

“The 4-year programme may also lead to a degree ‘with Research’ if the student completes a rigorous research project in their major area(s) of study as specified by the HEI [Higher Education Institutions]”, it added. 

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