New Delhi: District administrations should deny permits for rallies, processions, and large public assemblies on the dates of major competitive tests to safeguard traffic flow and maintain law and order, ensuring examinees avoid external disruptions, a parliamentary committee has advised.

The proposal was put forward by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, chaired by Rajya Sabha MP Mukul Wasnik, upon submitting a report titled "Reforms and Strengthening of the National Testing Agency (NTA)" to the Rajya Sabha Chairman on Friday.

The document follows the fallout surrounding the NEET question paper leak and reported administrative failures within the NTA, which sparked nationwide student demonstrations and led to the eventual resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

"Public rallies, processions, or large gatherings on the day of examination can delay candidates and cause them to miss their reporting time. The committee recommends that the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 be amended to direct district administration to withhold permission for any rally, procession, or any other public gathering on examination days, and to ensure that smooth traffic and law-and-order arrangements are in place well in advance, so that no candidate is affected by an avoidable, external disturbance," the report stated. Up to this point, the NTA has relied on issuing advisories urging applicants to reach test venues early and plan ahead if public events coincide with test dates.

Addressing procedural grievances brought before it, the committee highlighted that aspirants reaching examination centres a minute or two late are frequently barred entry entirely, destroying a year of rigorous preparation over minor tardiness.

"The committee observes that there are some genuine reasons due to which a candidate may arrive late at the examination centre. The committee is of the view that some mechanism be evolved such that students be allowed entry into the exam hall after signing an undertaking recording their late arrival and be allowed to attempt the exam only for the remaining time, with no extra time granted under any circumstances," the panel noted.

Furthermore, the committee criticised invigilation practices wherein staff complete signature verification and administrative formalities whilst the test is underway, which distracts examinees racing against the clock.

"The committee is of the view that a separate 15-minute window, before or after the test, be kept exclusively for such formalities and not in between the exam duration," the report added.

PTI