NEET-UG retest held at over 5,400 centres in India, abroad amid tight security

The NEET-UG re-exam was held at centres across the country and overseas on Sunday amid tight security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the examination.

The examination was conducted across 5,440 centres in 551 cities in India and 14 centres abroad by the NTA after the cancellation of the earlier May 3 exam amid an ongoing probe into the question paper leak. Over 22 lakh students were to appear in the retest.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reviewed arrangements for the smooth conduct of the NEET-UG re-examination at the NTA headquarters in Delhi’s Okhla.

“NTA apprises the Minister of the logistical and technical arrangements put in place for the efficient and transparent conduct of the examination,” the Ministry of Education said.

The examination was scheduled from 2.00 PM to 5.15 PM. Candidates with disabilities (PwD/PwBD) eligible for compensatory time will be allowed to write the examination till 6.20 pm.

In Kolkata, an injured candidate was allowed a separate room at the examination centre, along with medical support and a standby ambulance.

The candidate, Shrishti Dubey, suffered severe injuries in a road accident on June 14 and sought assistance from the authorities to make special arrangements.

Pradhan personally spoke to the aspirant’s parents, who conveyed their gratitude for the assistance provided by the NTA and the authorities.

However, some aspirants and their families flagged commuting difficulties in reaching the examination centres.

In Bhopal, two students were denied entry to the centre after arriving late. Amir Qadri, uncle of one of the aspirants, said, “I have come here with my nephew for his examination. While on our way to the examination centre, we met with an accident and got a bit late, since my nephew received first aid. Now that we have reached here, we are being denied entry. The authorities are saying the exam has already begun and that it won’t be possible to permit us entry.”

Heavy rains lashed Kolkata and its adjoining areas, triggering severe waterlogging in several parts of the city and disrupting traffic movement.

The showers brought respite from humid conditions but caused difficulties for commuters, including NEET aspirants travelling to examination centres for the re-test.

In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking arranged special bus services for students appearing in the re-examination amid the ongoing strike by its employees.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, nearly 180 bus trips were planned during the day, with 60 buses deployed on 24 routes to facilitate travel to 63 examination centres across the city.

In Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delayed his travel to his residence after arriving at IGI airport from Kolkata, to ensure NEET re-exam candidates did not face inconvenience due to traffic restrictions.

Sources said after arriving at the IGI airport around 1 PM, Modi chose to wait at the airport instead of immediately leaving for his residence at Lok Kalyan Marg.

Meanwhile, nearly 79,400 aspirants appeared for the re-examination at 211 centres across Gujarat, which was held amid extensive security arrangements. State police deployed drones and additional personnel at the centres to ensure the smooth and fair conduct of the examination.

In some states, including the national capital, free drinking water and refreshments were also arranged for parents and guardians waiting outside examination centres, officials said.

A candidate, Kishan, before entering the examination centre in Delhi to take the retest, said security arrangements were tighter this time than during the earlier test.

“Security is tighter this time than last time. A lot has happened over the past month. I have revised as much as I could, and now, I just want to write the exam. I only hope the exam is conducted fairly,” he told PTI Videos.

“Everyone who took that exam was under immense pressure, especially the students who were on the verge of qualifying,” he added.

Another NEET-UG candidate, Sonia, also noted that security was tighter this time.

“If such security arrangements had been in place the last time, the chances of a paper leak would have been lower, and students would not have had to face so much trouble,” she said before taking the retest.

According to a media report, a NEET aspirant wearing a burqa alleged that she was denied entry to an examination centre in Rajasthan’s Ajmer. The candidate, Kulsum Bano, claimed she had appeared for the earlier exam wearing the same attire.

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“I have come from Beawar to take the NEET exam. When I took the exam on May 3, I was in the same attire then as I am now, wearing a burqa and a dupatta. Initially, they said I would have to remove the dupatta to enter; then they insisted I had to remove the burqa as well,” she said before the exam started.

“If the NTA has permitted us, these people cannot stop us… If I am to take the exam and they don’t allow me in this attire, then I simply won’t take it,” she said. “The exam doesn’t matter to me; what matters is my ‘burqa’ and my identity,” she asserted.

The NTA later clarified that the aspirant was allowed entry to the centre.

The examination was conducted in English and 12 Indian languages. According to NTA, more than 95,000 examination rooms were equipped with CCTV surveillance.

A total of 1,38,560 CCTV cameras were installed, with feeds monitored virtually at the national, state and ministry levels, officials said. To secure the examination against electronic malpractice, 51,311 jammers have been deployed.

Ahead of the retest, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had urged candidates to appear for it fearlessly and free of anxiety.