NTA under fire again – now over 'disputed' questions in JEE Main exam

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is under attack by students and experts for blunders in questions in this year’s JEE Main examination, one of the most critical engineering entrance tests in India.

Students have flagged nine disputed questions: four from physics, three from chemistry and two from mathematics.

Media reports say the exposure came mainly from students in Kota in Rajasthan after the release of answer keys and response sheets on April 11.

Experts’ opinion

Experts from leading institutes support the claims.

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"It's unacceptable that such basic mistakes are creeping into national-level exams," wrote Pramod Kamath, an educator and a commentator whose detailed breakdown of the disputed questions have gone viral on social media.

"Q on modern physics from 7 April AM shift is conceptually flawed. If NTA doesn't correct this, it's an injustice to lakhs of students," he noted.

More flaws

A physics expert pointed out that a physics question on hydrogen-like ions assumes the atomic number to be 2 instead of 3, which he said is a fundamental error.

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Another current electricity problem wrongly listed 125mA as the correct answer while the actual value should be 5mA, a physics educator added.

A physics question on equivalent resistance provides no valid answer option, leaving students without a correct choice.

NTA blues

A director of a coaching centre stated that objections have been submitted with evidence and pressed the NTA to award bonus marks or drop the flawed questions altogether.

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This is not the first time the NTA has been under the scanner.