The National Testing Agency (NTA) has said it is examining allegations of errors in the UGC-NET Sociology examination conducted on 30 June, following widespread criticism from candidates over the quality of the question paper. The agency's response comes after students and subject experts highlighted what they claimed were numerous spelling mistakes, factual inaccuracies and translation errors in the paper, prompting calls for greater scrutiny of the examination process.
According to reports, NTA officials said the agency had taken note of the concerns and was assessing the matter. "Typographical errors are not unusual. We came to know about the matter through media reports and social media, and we are looking into it. So far, we have not received any complaints from students," NTA sources told India Today.
The Sociology paper has drawn significant criticism online, with many candidates arguing that the alleged mistakes went beyond simple typographical errors and reflected shortcomings in the paper-setting and review process. According to students, the paper contained misspelt names of prominent sociologists and theorists, grammatical mistakes, inaccurate Hindi translations and questions that appeared to fall outside the prescribed syllabus.
The controversy intensified after aspirants and subject experts began analysing the paper in detail. Several candidates alleged that as many as 67 questions had been repeated from previous UGC-NET Sociology examinations. Many claimed that a substantial section of the paper closely mirrored questions asked in earlier examination cycles, raising concerns about the originality of the test.
Candidates also pointed to a number of factual and language-related errors. Among the examples shared online were "Ritzer" being printed as "Putzer", "social" appearing as "oval", "Parsons" as "Parsow", "Ghurye" as "Ghunye", "A R Desai" as "A K Desai", and "Nussbaum" as "Nusbaut".
Students who opted for the Hindi-medium paper further alleged that several translations were inaccurate and, in some cases, altered the meaning of the original English questions, making them difficult to interpret during the examination.
Some candidates also claimed that a number of questions did not correspond with the syllabus prescribed for UGC-NET Sociology, adding to concerns over the overall quality of the paper.
Candidates who appeared for the UGC-NET Psychology paper on 29 June also raised objections, alleging that several questions were not based on the prescribed syllabus. Some aspirants additionally complained about conditions at certain examination centres, claiming that they lacked air conditioning and adequate ventilation despite the prevailing heat.
Several candidates took to X to describe the Psychology paper as "random" and "irrelevant", questioning whether it effectively assessed the level of subject knowledge expected from examinees.
The controversy quickly gained momentum on social media, where candidates circulated screenshots of the alleged errors and urged the NTA to review the question paper. Many called on the agency to ensure that candidates are not disadvantaged during the evaluation process.
