Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister Govi ​​Chezhiyan wrote a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan regarding the UGC NET exam. State Higher Education Minister Govi ​​Chezhiyan on Monday appealed to the Center that in view of the harvest festival 'Pongal' to be celebrated in Tamil Nadu from January 14 to 16, 2025, the UGC-National Eligibility Test (UGC NET Exam) to be held during those days should also be rescheduled.

Govi Chezhiyan wrote a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan saying that the National Testing Agency i.e. NTA under the Ministry of Education has scheduled the UGC-NET December 2024 exam from January 3 to January 16, 2025. Pongal festival is falling on January 14, 2025 and the next day Thiruvalluvar Day (Mattu Pongal) is celebrated, then Farmers Day (Uzhavar Thirunal-- Kanum Pongal) is celebrated on January 16.

'Pongal is not just a festival'

The minister underlined that Pongal is not just a festival but it is "a symbol of our culture and traditional heritage which dates back over 3,000 years." He said the Tamil Nadu government has already declared holiday from January 14 to 16, 2025 for Pongal festival.

He said, "If the NET exam is held during Pongal holidays, it will hamper the exam preparations in view of the festival."

'CA Foundation exam rescheduled to January 2025'

Further, Chezhiyan said, "I therefore request you to intervene to reschedule the UGC-NET examinations and other examinations to suitable dates to ensure that students and scholars from Tamil Nadu and other States where the harvest festival is celebrated are able to appear in the examinations."

The minister also informed that in view of the Pongal festival, the Chartered Accountants Foundation Examination (CA), January 2025 has been rescheduled on the request of Lok Sabha MP S Venkatesan from Tamil Nadu.