BENGALURU: It was just a few minutes of delay, but one which cost them an entire year to try their luck at the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) again. Some students, aspiring for seats in undergraduate medical and dental courses through NEET 2018, were not allowed to appear for the exam as they reached the centre just a few minutes late. The doors were closed sharp at 9.30 am.
The latecomers missed their exams and will now have to reappear in NEET 2019.
In Bengaluru, NEET centres like Army Public School on MG Road, Town Mahila Samaj Centre in Chamarajpet and several Kendriya Vidyalaya schools saw scenes of latecomers not being allowed to write the exam. Among those who could not write the exam, many had travelled to Bengaluru from Hassan, Chikkamagalur, Shivamogga and Chitradurga, and, having reached the city in the morning, well in time, they got delayed trying to locate their respective centres in an unfamiliar city.
Some desperate late-coming students, fearing a loss of an entire year, tried to hoodwink the authorities by jumping over the compound walls to enter their examination halls, but were stopped by the police personnel and shown the way out. A total of 96,000 candidates took the NEET 2018 across Karnataka; while all over India, a total of 13,26,725 students appeared for the exam.