UGC-NET Sociology paper faces criticism for errors, poor translation

Aspirants of the UGC-NET Sociology exam held on June 30 have alleged the question paper had numerous errors, including spelling mistakes, poor translations, and out-of-syllabus questions. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has initiated a review.

The UGC-NET examination held on June 30 has come under criticism after candidates appearing for the Sociology paper alleged that it contained numerous spelling mistakes, poor Hindi translations, grammatical errors and questions that were allegedly outside the prescribed syllabus.

Widespread Errors and Poor Translations Alleged

Several aspirants claimed that the errors were not isolated typographical mistakes but reflected serious lapses in the preparation and quality review of the question paper. Candidates also alleged that the inaccurate translations made several questions difficult to comprehend, affecting their ability to attempt the examination.

The issue gained traction on social media after researcher Antara Chakraborty shared a detailed post highlighting what she described as widespread mistakes in the paper. According to the post, names of prominent sociologists and scholars were misspelt, including George Ritzer, GS Ghurye, AR Desai and Martha Nussbaum. The post also alleged that the Hindi version of several questions was poorly translated and grammatically incorrect, creating confusion among candidates.

Aspirants further claimed that some questions appeared unrelated to the syllabus and questioned the quality control measures adopted during the paper-setting process.

NTA Responds to Allegations

Responding to the allegations, the National Testing Agency (NTA) said it had taken note of the concerns being raised regarding the Sociology paper. "The NTA has received representations from candidates regarding alleged spelling mistakes and translation issues in the UGC-NET Sociology question paper. These representations are being examined in accordance with the agency's established procedures. Subject experts will review the concerns, and if any discrepancy is found, appropriate action will be taken in line with the prescribed norms," the agency said.

The UGC-NET is conducted to determine the eligibility of candidates for the post of Assistant Professor, admission to PhD programmes, and the award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in universities and colleges across the country.

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