NEET: Girls who were asked to remove innerwear allowed to re-take exam

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New
Delhi,
Aug
27:
The
National
Testing
Agency
(NTA)
said
it
would
recondite
the
NEET
exam
for
girl
students
who
were
allegedly
asked
to
remove
their
inner
wear
during
frisking
ahead
of
taking
the
medical
entrance
exam.

The
girls
will
be
given
the
option
to
take
the
exam
on
September
4
and
the
NTA
has
sent
a
mail
confirming
the
same
to
the
students.

A
massive
controversy
had
erupted
after
reports
emerged
that
the
girls
were
asked
to
remove
their
inner
wear
before
the
entering
the
NEET
examination
centre
in
Kerala’s
Kollam
district.

In
July
a
complaint
was
filed
by
a
man
with
the
Kottarakara
police
stating
that
the
female
NEET
aspirants
including
his
daughter
were
asked
to
remove
their
bras
before
entering
the
exam
centre
in
Chathamangalam.

NEET-UG
medical
entrance
exam
results
to
be
out
on
September
7

The
students
were
forced
to
take
off
their
innerwear
before
entering
the
exam
centre
as
the
metal
hooks
on
their
bras
were
a
security
concern.
Following
the
complaint
an
FIR
was
registered
under
54
(Assault
or
criminal
force
to
woman
with
intent
to
outrage
her
modesty)
and
509
(Word,
gesture
or
act
intended
to
insult
the
modesty
of
a
woman)
of
the
Indian
Penal
Code.

Seven
persons
were
arrested
in
connection
with
the
case
which
included
two
members
of
the
college
staff
who
were
present
at
the
NEET
exam
centre.
All
the
accused
were
eventually
granted
bail.

There
were
widespread
protests
alleging
human
rights
violations.
The
Human
Rights
Commission
directed
the
Kollam
SP
to
probe
the
matter
and
submit
a
report
within
15
days.

The
NTA
set
up
a
three
member
fact-finding
committee
to
probe
into
the
allegations
and
submit
a
report
within
four
weeks.
Action
had
also
been
sought
by
the
National
Commission
for
Women
and
the
National
Commission
for
Protection
of
Child
Rights.