Mangaluru: Hundreds of NEET-UG aspirants in Dakshina Kannada are distressed after the National Testing Agency canceled the undergraduate medical entrance examination and ordered a re-examination following allegations of a paper leak.The decision, announced on Tuesday has triggered uncertainty among students who already appeared for the exam on May 3. Many candidates said the cancellation has disrupted their preparation, increased mental stress and delayed their hopes of securing medical admissions.
According to available data from the district, 8,323 students appeared for the test out of 8,587 registered candidates across 18 centers in Dakshina Kannada.Tanushree, a student of Vidvath PU College, said “I expected about 675 marks after doing a rough calculation in the NEET-UG held on May 3. Now everything has gone to waste. I prepared for two years, every day for 5-6 hours. I have to redo it again and it is not easy,” she said.Several aspirants from different centers in the district said they were devastated by the development. Students said they prepared for nearly two years and were waiting for results, only to be informed that the test had been canceled and would be conducted again.They said the biggest challenge now is restarting preparation. Many students who stayed in college hostels returned to their hometowns soon after the examination. With the re-exam now expected, they may have to return to campus or continue preparation from home. Some students said they already discarded notes and study materials after completing the test.Narendra L Nayak, chairman, Expert Group of Institutions and state secretary of KUPMA, said colleges invested two years in preparing students for the entrance examination and were now dealing with the fallout of the cancellation. “Those responsible for this alleged paper leak must be punished severely. Those conducting the exam have failed to discharge their duties diligently. With cancellation, it is an inconvenience to aspirants,” he said.Many residential students left campus within hours of the exam and institutions were now preparing to begin classes for I and II PU students, making it difficult to bring NEET aspirants back for renewed coaching, he added.At Alva’s PU College in Moodoubidire, the management started contacting students soon after the announcement. Principal Mohammed Sadakath said faculty members were calling each aspirant to provide emotional support, as students and parents struggled with anxiety, disappointment and uncertainty over the re-examination.Suhan Alva, president of the Dakshina Kannada district NSUI, condemned the cancellation and said the central govt had failed 22.5 lakh students who appeared for the exam with hopes for their future. Alva accused the education system of collapsing due to negligence, and demanded the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
