Haryana Government Reluctant to Use NTA for Common Eligibility Test

The Haryana government made Common Eligibility Test (CET) mandatory for permanent recruitment to Group C and Group D positions across the state. Yet since implementing this requirement, they've only conducted one test so far. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced during the budget session that the next CET would happen in May this year.

Despite this announcement, the state government seems unwilling to work with the National Testing Agency (NTA) for these crucial exams. Instead, during a meeting at the CM's residence, Saini told the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) and the Haryana Board of School Education to start preparing to conduct the examination on their own. 

Two Key Reasons Behind the Reluctance

1. Fear of Paper Leaks 

NTA has been criticized after several paper leak incidents in recent recruitment exams they conducted. The Haryana government worries that if something similar happened with their CET papers, opposition parties would use it against them. CM Saini, who doesn't want any mistakes during his second term, has told exam agencies to prepare very carefully for the test.

2. NTA's New Focus on Entrance Exams Only

Because of all the paper leak controversies, the central government decided that NTA wouldn't handle recruitment examinations anymore. The agency has now shifted to focus only on entrance examinations. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said last year that NTA would now only work on higher education entrance exams.

CM Saini's Instructions to HSSC

At a recent meeting, CM Saini told HSSC officials that while he'd personally talk to central authorities about the possibility of NTA conducting the CET, the commission should go ahead with their own preparations anyway. He asked them to talk with the Haryana Board of School Education to figure out if they could conduct the CET and what they'd need to do to get ready.

The CM also asked the commission to suggest some possible dates for the CET and to start preparing regardless of who ends up administering the test.

Preparations Underway

The HSSC has already started getting ready for the CET. They recently asked for reports on examination centers and met with district deputy commissioners. These deputy commissioners have asked district education officers for updated information about examination centers.

One-Time Registration Portal Ready

As a first step toward conducting the CET, the commission has set up a one-time registration portal. Once the government gives them the green light, they'll open registrations on this portal. After registration closes, all the data will go to a secret agency that will prepare the question paper. The HSSC chairperson gets to choose this secret agency.