Over the past five years, 28 students have been caught using unfair means during the NEET examination for admission to undergraduate medical programmes, according to the National Testing Agency. Parents and students are now questioning the need for intrusive and humiliating frisking at examination centres.
The NTA caught seven students using unfair means at National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) centres this year. That is in addition to seven students caught in 2022, five cases each in 2020 and 2021, and four cases in 2019, according to the NTA’s response to a Right to Information query posed by activist Chandrashekhar Gaur.
This year alone, more than 20 lakh students wrote the examination, competing for almost one lakh MBBS seats.
Invasive frisking
Parents feel that the level of competition is driving up the invasive caution. Earlier this year, a NEET aspirant from Kolkata tweeted that girls were asked to “change their pants, open their inner wear, and exchange clothes with their mothers. Also, some boys went into the exam centre in inner wear as the pants they were wearing weren’t allowed. Since there was no place to change, parents had to stand around their children as they undressed.” The aspirant added: “The frisking process during NEET-UG, 2023 has subjected me to a level of indignation that I have never suffered before.’’
There were reports of alleged insensitive frisking from several other parts of the country, including Kerala and Chennai, worrying those preparing for next year’s exam. “There are reports every year of extensive frisking which puts the aspirants and parents under tremendous mental and physical strain. It does affect the confidence and comfort level of the students taking the exam,’’ said Meera Joshi from Delhi, whose child is preparing for the 2024 exam.
Clear dress code
Senior Health Ministry official explained that the NTA issues clear written instructions on what clothing to wear and what to carry to the exam centre. “Anything else can’t be allowed in. Also, at a highly competitive exam as this one they must ensure that everyone has fair chance,” an official said. The NEET-UG exam has a dress code that includes specific clothing and accessories that are allowed and not allowed. Students are required to wear light-coloured clothes with half sleeves and avoid items like jewellery, shoes, and watches when they appear for the 200 minute examination.
The level of competition in the exam can be judged by the fact that this year, both top ranks have been snagged by aspirants scoring a perfect 720/720. An aspirant scoring just ten marks less — 710/720 — will go down to the 50th rank; a score of 680/720 will push one’s rank beyond the 1000 range; and a score of 600/720 will result in a ranking over 28,000.
Simply put every mark counts and a single point can bring an aspirant down by 50 ranks, making the difference between getting a government seat or a seat in a private medical college. Additionally, lower the score, bigger the difference a single point makes in the ranking. This year 20,38,596 students appeared for the NEET exam out of which just 11,45,976 qualified, approximately 56%.
