NEET, CUET, CBSE crises expose deep flaws in India's exam system

Exam season turns into crisis season

This year's exam season has left students, parents, and educators across India grappling with a series of controversies that many say expose the deep cracks in the country's education system. From the NEET-UG paper leak allegations to the CUET-UG 2025 cancellation and the CBSE result grading fiasco, the pressure-cooker environment has boiled over.

For millions of students, these exams are not just tests of knowledge — they are gateways to careers, social mobility, and family expectations. When the system fails, the consequences are not just academic. They are deeply personal and often traumatic.

NEET and CUET: A pattern of leaks and mismanagement

The NEET-UG 2025 exam, held in May, was marred by reports of a question paper leak in multiple states, including Bihar and Gujarat. The Central Bureau of Investigation is now probing the case, but students who prepared for months are left in limbo. Some have called for a re-exam, while others fear the delay will harm their admission timelines.

Similarly, the Common University Entrance Test (CUET-UG) faced a major setback when the National Testing Agency cancelled the exam in several centres after a technical glitch and a suspected leak. Over 14 lakh students had registered for CUET, and many travelled from remote towns to test centres that were abruptly shut down.

These incidents are not isolated. In 2024, the NEET-UG exam faced similar allegations, leading to a Supreme Court hearing. Critics argue that the NTA, which conducts these exams, lacks the infrastructure and oversight to handle such large-scale assessments securely.

CBSE results: Confusion over grading and grace marks

The CBSE Class 12 results, released last week, triggered another wave of distress. Several students reported discrepancies in their marks, with some receiving unusually high scores due to a policy of awarding grace marks for a disputed physics paper. The board later clarified that the grace marks were meant to compensate for a confusing question, but many students felt the process was arbitrary.

For instance, a student who scored 95 in physics under the new system might have actually answered only 85 per cent correctly. This has raised concerns about the fairness of the grading and its impact on college admissions, especially for competitive courses like engineering and medicine.

Teachers and counsellors say the real issue is the relentless pressure on students to score near-perfect marks. A 99 per cent score is no longer exceptional — it is expected. This has created a toxic environment where students sacrifice sleep, health, and creativity for a few extra marks.

What the crises reveal about the system

These incidents are not just administrative failures. They reflect a deeper problem: an education system that prioritises rote learning and exam scores over actual understanding and well-being. Students are trained to be test-takers, not thinkers. When the system breaks down, they have no fallback.

Experts say the solution lies in moving away from high-stakes, single-point exams. Multiple assessment methods, continuous evaluation, and a focus on skills rather than marks could reduce stress. But such reforms require political will and long-term planning, which have been lacking.

For now, students are left to navigate a system that seems to value numbers over people. The NEET, CUET, and CBSE crises are not just news stories. They are symptoms of a system in urgent need of change.

What happens next will depend on how seriously the government and testing agencies take these failures. Students and parents are watching closely, hoping that this time, the lessons will be learned.