NEET re-exam: Photostat kiosks shut in Rajasthan district, police frisk students in Assam

Ahead of the re-test, the Assam government had announced a slew of security measures, including double frisking, the imposition of Section 244 of the BNSS in a 100-metre radius of exam centres, 24-hour police protection of the centres and mobile jammers.

Arriving to write the exam for the second time in one and a half months, some aspirants said they stayed calm through the chaos of this period.

“In my mind, I had approached the May exam as a mock test. It was my first attempt, so I am feeling okay today as well,” said Aryan Chakravarty (18). But for most candidates, the period approaching this re-test was fraught with stress.

Mohammad Yasin (19) had travelled from central Assam’s Hojai to write the test, and he said his confidence had been failing him in the run-up to Sunday.

“For those of us who had dropped a year just to prepare for the test, it (the cancellation of the May 3 test) was a very big ‘jhatka’. I found it very difficult to rebuild the flow of preparation once it was broken after the May test. It was like all my planning went out of the window, so I am not feeling very confident today. I am not feeling a 100%, and I am quite nervous,” he said.

Rajasthan

The state that is seen as a hub of coaching for competitive exams like NEET saw the re-test conducted under extensive security arrangements and strict monitoring by district administrations.

In Jaipur, the district administration set up 103 examination centres, including 84 government and 19 private institutions. Out of the registered 37,359 candidates, 36,508 appeared for the test, while 851 were absent.

As many as 24 Rajasthan Administrative Service officers were part of flying squads deployed across Jaipur to ensure there is no malpractice. District Collector Sandesh Nayak personally monitored the examination process and visited centres along with Additional District Collector and district nodal officer Narendra Kumar Verma. CCTV surveillance, biometric verification, jammers and police deployment were put in place to ensure a fair and smooth examination.

Kota city, one of the country’s largest coaching hubs, had 32,715 candidates appearing for the examination at 92 centres. In Barmer, 3,475 candidates appeared for the examination at eight centres located at the district headquarters. Administrative and police officers remained stationed at all centres, while candidates underwent two-level frisking before entering and after leaving examination venues.

The district administration also ordered the closure of photostat shops, e-Mitra kiosks and cyber cafes within a 300-metre radius of examination centres. Officials warned that strict action would be taken against anyone involved in malpractice, information leaks or the spread of rumours related to the examination.

To facilitate travel for candidates, North Western Railway operated a special examination train between Barmer and Bhagat Ki Kothi with halts at Baytu, Balotra, Samdari and Luni.