New Delhi [India], December 17: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced on Tuesday that the high-level committee tasked with recommending reforms for the National Testing Agency (NTA) has completed its report, which has been submitted to the Supreme Court.
During a press conference, Pradhan highlighted that 91.8% of India’s schools now have electricity, a significant improvement from 53% in 2013-14. “By the academic year 2023-24, we have more schools than in 2013-14, and electricity has been provided to 91.8% of schools,” he said.
Pradhan also mentioned that the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) plans to publish 15 crore quality and affordable books in the coming academic year to meet the needs of students. “These books will help reduce the financial burden on students, particularly in some classes,” he added.
Additionally, the NCERT has signed agreements with Amazon and Flipkart to make its books available at the maximum retail price (MRP) through these platforms.
Pradhan provided updates on the National Achievement Survey (NAS), noting that over 87,000 schools, covering a sample size of 23 lakh students, have been surveyed. He mentioned that further district-level surveys will be conducted to assess learning outcomes and academic performance.
The Minister also addressed the controversy surrounding the NEET UG 2024 examination, held on May 5. Allegations of paper leaks, irregularities, and time losses during the exam have led to the re-examination of 1,563 candidates on June 23, 2024.