Centre Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) organised the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Undergraduate (UG) on Sunday in 104 cities across the country. Against 8,02,594 registered candidates last year in NEET-2016, with the increase of 41.42% in the number of candidates, 11,35,104 medical aspirants have registered for NEET-2017. Over 2000 institutions were made the centres for this examination, based on credibility, reliability, and infrastructure of these centres.
Rules were made stricter for this examination for both male and female candidates and the authority ensured that they are being followed in all circumstances. The restrictions were tightened to a limit that when some examinees in Gujarat did not adhere to it, the authorities almost forced the rules physically upon them.
With rising incidents of cheating and impersonation in exams, the central board has prescribed a strict dress code, which candidates needed to follow while appearing for the NEET exams. While male students were not allowed to wear shoes or high collared shirts, females students were asked to wear half sleeves without having big buttons, brooch/badge, flower etc. Salwar/ trouser, slippers, sandals with low heels are allowed. Shoes for the female candidate were also not allowed.
Notably, in Gujarat, full sleeves of both female and men were forcibly cut before they could enter for the examination hall, in the name of adhering to the rules of the examination. In fact similar allegations have also surfaced from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, where additionally, female students were made to open their slippers outside the campus premises.
It would be difficult for now to comment as to what level will these gestures affect the fairness of the examination, but it is certain that it shall trigger higher levels of exam-phobia amongst students.
