CUET confusion as SMS points to late change in exam centre

Candidates from various states told HT that they received a text message from the testing agency on Monday directing them to download a revised admit card from the CUET website since the centre allocated to them for Tuesday’s exams had been changed due to technical issues. However, when aspirants downloaded the revised admit card, there was no update in the allocated centre.

However, on being intimated about the latest confusion, the NTA on Monday evening clarified that candidates were required to go to the “centres mentioned on their admit card”.

“Several queries have been received from candidates regarding a change in centre for their examination scheduled on July 19, 2022 Candidates are hereby informed that they should go to the centre mentioned on their admit card downloaded from the website — the NTA said.

A senior NTA official said that an automated message was sent to all candidates on Monday “asking them to check their admit cards a day before the exam”. “The candidates are advised to check their admit cards a day before the exam to avoid any inconvenience on exam day,” the official said clarified, asking not to be named.

Last Thursday, the national capital had witnessed chaotic scenes after a similar a change in centre was communicated to students on the eve of the exam and they were able to download the revised admit card only hours before the exam, with the result that several aspirants were unable to sit for the tests conducted that day.

Explaining the issue they faced on Monday, students said it all started after receiving text messages, both on their primary and alternatives numbers, that read thus: “Dear candidate, due to technical issues, your centre address for the CUET (UG) 2022 scheduled tomorrow (Tuesday) has been changed (in the same city). Please download the revised admit card from….”

Harvinder Kaur, mother of a Class 12 student, said she downloaded the admit card multiple times after receiving the NTA’s message, but the centre location had not been revised. “We received an SMS on the primary and alternative numbers. After that, I downloaded the admit card multiple times but there was no update. I called on the helpline number multiple times but there was no response,” said Kaur.

Her daughter Ashwin Kaur is appearing for the exam in the afternoon slot on Tuesday and the morning slot on Wednesday. “Last-minute updates such as these add to the stress and anxiety of students,” said Kaur, a Faridabad resident.

Lakshita Garg, another student, received an SMS directing her to download a revised admit card. Garg will be appearing for the exam in Jaipur in three domain subjects. She said the lack of clarity and the prior experience of students who missed their exams was adding to her anxiety. “The helpline doesn’t answer our calls. Neither is there any response to emails. In such a situation, there is a lot of anxiety surrounding the exam,” said Garg, who is required to report for the exam at 7am Tuesday.

Misha Chakrabarty, a West Bengal resident, will be appearing for the exam in Kolkata on Tuesday. Chakrabarty said \while she downloaded the admit card again and reached out to the NTA, there was no clarity on any new centre as mentioned in the SMS. “I even reached out to the institute that has been allocated to me as the centre. However, they did not have any information. We are confused and clueless,” said Chakrabarty.