CHENNAI: Despite strong opposition from various political parties and the public at large in Tamil Nadu, the National Testing Agency on Sunday conducted the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and about 1.1 lakh candidates in the State took the exam held at 238 centres. Many students found the Chemistry paper tough and Biology paper easy.
In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, a host of precautions and safety measures was taken for conducting the test this year. Though the enrolments dipped this year, the number of exam centres was increased from 188 to 238. Only 12 students were allowed to sit in each classroom. Thermal scanning was done on all students and some were reportedly sent back as their temperatures were above normal.
An 18-year-old candidate from Tirupur district, who came to Karur for the exam, was denied entry as she had tested positive for COVID-19 a couple of days ago. The authorities are yet to clarify if these students would be allowed to take the test on a later date.
Police were also stationed at all centres anticipating protests. Unlike earlier conduct of NEET, this time the students were not frisked. To prevent any incident like the 'vanishing ink' scam that was uncovered last year, the NTA on Sunday provided stationery to the students.
Decline in enrolment
This year, there has been a 12.4 per cent decline in NEET enrolment in TN as opposed to the 5% drop in the country. Meanwhile, the President’s nod for the Bills to scrap NEET, passed in the TN Assembly in 2017, is still awaited
Candidate denied entry after testing COVID positive in Karur
Karur: An 18-year-old NEET aspirant from Tirupur district, who came to Karur for the exam, was denied entry after he tested positive for Covid. A couple of days ago, the youth’s results returned positive and he informed VSB College at Paramathi about it. The college told him to appear for the exam as they would arrange a different classroom for him. However, after reaching the centre in Karur, the officials denied him entry to the exam hall, said sources.
83.1 per cent turnout in Vellore
VELLORE: As many as 6,958 students appeared for the exam held at 15 centres in Vellore district. 8,370 students had registered for the exam. The attendance percentage stood at 83.1. In Tirupattur, of the 1,800 students who registered for the exam, 1,477 students appeared for the exam, accounting to a turnout of 82.06 per cent. The district administration made vehicle arrangements and medical support for students in Yelagiri Hills.
Those with symptoms isolated
VILLUPURAM: Students with body temperature over permissible level wrote the exam in special isolated rooms at exam centres in Puducherry. According to sources, 7,137 students from Puducherry and nearby districts like Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Kallakurichi in Tamil Nadu chose the UT as their preferred location. The exam was held at fifteen centres including Kendra Vidyalaya schools in Kalapet, Gorimedu, private colleges and schools.
911 absentees in Cuddalore district
CUDDALORE: As many as 4,316 students out of the registered 5,277 turned up for the exam at 10 centres in Cuddalore district. As per official sources, of the total 5,277 registrants, 362 were from government and government-aided schools. However, on Sunday, about 911 students were absent. With nearly 15 police personnel deployed at each centre, security and Covid-19 regulations were maintained by both officials and students.
DYFI, SFI protest in front of NEET exam centres
CHENNAI: Members of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Students Federation of India (SFI) were detained and released later on Sunday for protesting against the NEET at several places in Chennai. The protests took place in front exam centres in Ayanavaram, Vepery, RK Nagar, and Aminjikarai in Chennai (north) and Mylapore in Chennai (south).