By Maeeshat Correspondent,

New Delhi, July 28: A prominent students’ organization on Friday approached the Supreme Court of India challenging the decision of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to suspend the UGC-NET exam scheduled for July. National Eligibility Test (NET) is conducted for selection of Assistant Professors and candidates for JRF or Junior Research Fellow.

UGC-NET is held twice a year. First was held on 22nd January and second was due in this July but a few months back, the UGC took a decision to hold NET exam just once a year and thus rescheduled the July exam.

In its petition, Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) argued that the suspension of July exam would jeopardize the career of thousands of students as they may cross the age limit by the next exam (rescheduled for Nov).

“CBSE betrayed the students’ community in conducting NET 2017 session. The report on suspension of CBSE UGC NET has created qualms in students’ community. Thousands of aspirants, who are waiting for CBSE UGC NET notification, are shocked now after seeing the latest updates that CBSE is suspending the July 2017 session,” said Syed Azharuddin, National Secretary, SIO of India.

He demanded: “CBSE should take back its stand in favor of lakhs of students, it’s a direct attack on the students, teaching profession and intellectual growth of the nation.”

For the January UGC-NET exam, over 7.94 lakh students had registered.

SIO also demanded the UGC to withdraw its decision to hold NET once in a year as it will bring a big loss to intellectual community in the country and create huge shortage of faculty in colleges and universities.

“Shortage of faculty has been a big hurdle in ensuring quality education. The availability of adequate and qualified faculty is prerequisite for quality education. Thousands of teaching positions are vacant in Universities. In a recently concluded parliamentary session HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar had said that majority of vacancies in Universities would be filled up this year. In such a circumstance, suspending UGC NET which was being conducted twice in a year to once in a year may lead to annoyance among student community, and a loss to the intellectual community of India,” SIO leader said.