Destroying merit system

The Supreme Court of India has rightly observed that the National Testing Agency (NTA) “has not learnt its lesson” even after the 2024 controversy (Front page, May 26).

Repeated leaks and examination failures are destroying students’ trust in merit and fairness. Lakhs of hardworking youngsters now feel let down by the very system that is meant to reward talent. Such frustration is creating public anger, political cynicism, and even the rise of terms such as the “Cockroach Janta Party” to mock a system seen as surviving despite repeated scandals. Many students are also choosing foreign universities and migration over staying in India.

If examination bodies lose credibility, the nation risks losing an entire generation’s confidence in institutions. Therefore, transparency, accountability, and strict reforms in bodies such as the NTA are urgently needed.

Sam Oommen,

Venmoney, Chengannur, Kerala

It is unfortunate that the NTA has been unable to develop a foolproof system to safeguard question papers and prevent leaks. The lapse on the part of the NTA is indefensible, as the future of lakhs of students across the country stands compromised.

Even more galling is the recurrence of such leaks — a sign of a chronic malaise hardly befitting an institution of the NTA’s stature.

C.V. Aravind,

Bengaluru