Chandigarh:

Invigilators were waiting, police personnel were on the spot and metal scanners were in place, but the two students who were to take the NEET-UG retest at an exam centre in Chandigarh did not turn up.

St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School in Sector 44 of Chandigarh is among the seven centres selected by the National Testing Agency for the re-examination of 1,563 candidates.

These candidates, the Centre had told the Supreme Court, had been awarded grace marks to compensate for the loss of time and revision of answers in the exam held on May 5. The grace marks were cancelled amid the massive row surrounding the exam, but the candidates were provided an opportunity to take the test again.

NDTV visited the Chandigarh centre this morning and found police personnel and teachers waiting for the two examinees. Two security personnel were at the gate with metal scanners. “The examination starts at 2 pm and the gate will be shut the gate at 1.30 pm. We are waiting for the students and all preparations have been made,” said one of the invigilators. When the students did not turn up, the gate of the exam centre was shut as per rules.

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test is an all Indian examination for admission to medical courses in colleges across the country. The exam, taken by 24 lakh students on May 5, came under the scanner after the results were declared on June 4. A total of 67 students scored 720/720 marks and the cut-off was pushed so high that many students wondered if they would get a college berth.

Allegations of irregularities have sparked nationwide protests by students. Several people have been arrested in Bihar in a paper leak case. A student among them has told police he got the questions the night before the exam.

The government, which had initially denied any paper leak, has now handed over the investigation to the CBI. The director general of the National Testing Agency, which conducted the test, has been fired. The Opposition has launched a scathing attack against the government, saying the mismanagement surrounding the exam has pushed the future of lakhs of students towards uncertainty.

New Delhi:

The NEET-UG retest for 1,563 candidates will be held today in six cities following allegations of irregularities in NEET-UG, including paper leaks. The National Testing Agency (NTA) and Union Education ministry officials will also be present at the examination centres. The re-exams will be conducted from 2 pm to 5:20 pm.

The retest for the medical entrance exam is being conducted after the agency withdrew grace marks awarded to students who were compensated for the loss of time due to delay in the start of the examination at six centres across the country. Six students scored perfect 720 marks along with 61 others leading to allegations of inflation of marks which has now sparked a political row. 

Late Saturday evening, the Home Ministry also postponed the NEET-PG examinations, which was scheduled today. The government said the fresh dates would be announced soon, adding that the decision was taken in the best interests of students and to maintain the sanctity of examination. 

An hour before the announcement of the exam postponement came, the government issued an order that said it had replaced the chief of the NTA, which conducts the NEET-UG. Subodh Kumar Singh, who was NTA director general, has been replaced by retired Indian Administration Service (IAS) officer Pradeep Singh Kharola.

The Education ministry has also formed a high-level committee of experts to make recommendations on reform in the mechanism of the examination process, improvement in data security protocols, and structure and functioning of the NTA.