NTA Reports 50% Drop in NEET, CUET, JEE Main, UGC NET Exam Registrations
The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted only 29 exams in 2024 which is less than half of what it managed in 2023. The education ministry informed Parliament on Monday. This is the lowest number of exams conducted by NTA since 2019.
The NTA was set up in 2017 and conducts key entrance exams like:
- The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical courses
- The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main for engineering
- The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for general programs in central universities. However, 2024 was a challenging year for the agency.
NTA 2024 Exam Stat
In 2024, the NTA faced multiple issues including allegations of paper leaks which forced it to either postpone or cancel important exams like CUET PG and the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) along with school staff assisting with exam-related work expressed frustration over delayed payments from NTA.
These problems led to a cabinet investigation, resulting in the former NTA director general Subodh Kumar Singh being removed from his position and replaced by Pradeep Singh Kharola.
NTA Exam Count 2024 drop
Data presented by the education ministry shows that the NTA conducted only 29 exams in 2024, with over 85 lakh students participating. This is a significant drop from the 66 exams held in 2023, which saw 1.3 crore students. Here’s a year-by-year comparison:
| Year |
Exam Conducted |
Registered Students |
| 2019 |
23 |
68,82,098 |
| 2020 |
35 |
58,79,938 |
| 2021 |
45 |
73,28,410 |
| 2022 |
44 |
1,10,73,306 |
| 2023 |
66 |
1,33,51,541 |
| 2024 |
29 |
85,78,005 |
This decline marks the first significant drop in exams conducted by the NTA since its establishment. In its early years agency gradually expanded its operations overseeing 23 exams in 2019 and increasing that to 35 in 2020. By 2021, it managed 45 exams followed by 44 in 2022, and peaked at 66 in 2023
NTA Exam Analysis 2024
The drop in the number of exams conducted in 2024 reflects the challenges the NTA faced throughout the year. Allegations of misconduct and administrative hurdles not only disrupted the schedule but also affected the agency’s credibility.
With a reduced workload and over 85 lakh students still appearing for exams in 2024, the NTA’s operational capacity remains significant. However, addressing these challenges will be crucial for restoring trust and improving its performance in the years to come.
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