A row has erupted after candidates appearing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in Kerala alleged that they were forced to remove their bras by officials at the centre. The incident occurred at Mar Thoma Institute of Information Technology in Kollam on Sunday, July 17. The National Testing Agency (NTA) — which conducts the NEET exam — has, however, denied receiving any such complaints.
An official of the Mar Thoma college said that those who were frisking the students were sent from the NTA, and were not appointed by the college. Following a police complaint filed by a parent of one of the students, NTA-appointed officials in charge of monitoring NEET centres have categorically denied the allegations. The centre observer, centre superintendent and city coordinator all reported to the agency that there was no untoward incident at the Mar Thoma college centre. All the letters suggested that the police complaint filed by the parent was with “bad intentions”.
In a statement, the NTA took the same stand. “On the issue of a media report that a candidate appearing for NEET(UG) at the Mar Thoma Institute of Information Technology, Ayur, Kollam, on 17 July was asked to remove her innerwear, it is informed that — on the receipt of the report, immediate comments of the Centre Superintendent and the Independent Observer as well as the City Coordinator, Kollam district, were obtained. All three of them have, inter alia, stated that they did not find any such incident happening in the centre. The candidate did take the examination,” the statement said. It added that while the complaint was filed with the police, no representation was made to the agency right after the exam.
Following the incident on Sunday, Gopakumar Sooranad, filed a complaint with the Kollam Rural police alleging that his daughter was forced to go through the ordeal. He also questioned why the officials took exception to the metal hooks in bras, as there is no rule in the NEET bulletin against it. The NTA also said in its statement, “As far as the NTA’s Dress Code for NEET is concerned, it does not permit any such activity alleged by the parent of the candidate,” it said.
Meanwhile, more students have come out alleging that they too were forced to remove their bras at the centre. “After the exam, they told us to hold our bras in our hands, not allowing us to wear it there. We covered our chests with our hair and wrote the exam as we were uncomfortable sitting without a bra,” one student told the media.
Based on Gopakumar Sooranad’s complaint, the police have registered a case under sections 354 (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. An investigation into the matter is underway, police said.