NEET innerwear row: Affected aspirants allowed to take exam again

The National Testing Agency (NTA) after receiving backlash over girls being forced to remove their innerwear for checking at a NEET examination centre in Kerala’s Kollam, has decided to allow the affected aspirants to re-appear for the examination on September 4.

The girls’ parents deplored the act, saying their wards’ performance was impacted due to the “inhuman act” by the invigilators.

As a result, a probe was conducted into the incident by a three-member team of officials attached to NEET. The officials submitted a report which talked about the mental agony faced by the girls.

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The testing authorities thus decided to conduct a re-examination for the affected aspirants at a new centre in Kerala’s Kollam district. It is up to the aspirants if they want to re-appear for the exam or not.

Last month’s incident had let to a huge uproar. The Kerala police had arrested seven people in connection with the incident, who were later released on bail.

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Those arrested included the Vice Principal of Mar Thoma Institute (the college where the exam was held), NEET exam Centre Superintendent, Priji Kurian Issac and NTA observer Dr Shamnad.

Two women staff members of the college and three others from the testing agency, Star Training Academy, were also among those arrested.

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The accused were charged under the IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty) and Section 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).