NTA - Marking Pattern
Sanjeev Goyal
PMOPG/E/2024/0088892
28/05/2024
Grievance: The establishment of the National Testing Agency (NTA) approximately six years ago aimed to streamline the process of conducting entrance examinations for higher education programs, which were previously handled by multiple agencies. NTA's mission encompasses enhancing equity, quality, reliability, efficiency, transparency, and fairness in these examinations.
However, a significant issue arises with the percentile scoring system employed by NTA, particularly evident in exams like the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). Under this system, students receive percentile scores regardless of their actual marks, even if they are zero or negative. This approach contradicts the very essence of meritocracy and fairness.
For instance, in JEE, where incorrect answers lead to negative marking, a student might end up with a negative overall score. Yet, under the percentile system, a student with zero marks could potentially rank higher than one with negative marks. This absurdity undermines the credibility of the merit list.
Furthermore, the absence of a minimum qualifying threshold in JEE exacerbates the problem. Allowing students with zero or negative marks to secure a rank goes against the principles of quality and fairness. It also raises concerns about the social implications of admitting students who are not suited for engineering programs.
Rather than admitting such students into engineering colleges, a more constructive approach would involve providing them with counseling and support to explore alternative career paths where their talents may be better suited. Additionally, coaching assistance could be provided to help them improve their performance for future attempts.
The percentile scoring system should only apply to students who achieve marks above a certain threshold, ensuring that admission cutoffs are based on merit. This adjustment aligns with NTA's mission of equity, quality, transparency, and fairness. What objective is achieved by allocating scares social resources to such students? What kind of professional courses these are where a student securing zero marks can get admission? How this process is beneficial for society at large?
In conclusion, the current marking system employed by NTA, particularly in exams like JEE, contradicts the agency's stated mission and undermines the principles of fairness and professionalism. Reforms are necessary to uphold the integrity of the examination process and ensure that admission decisions are based on genuine merit and for the purpose a basic threshold must be prescribed.
Solution: NTA may be directed to fix a basic threshold for awarding ranks.