'I was Inappropriately Frisked By NTA Officials At NEET Exam Centre In Bengal'

I am a NEET 2023 aspirant. On Sunday, 7 May 2023, my NEET was scheduled at HM Education Centre School, Hindmotor Colony, Hooghly, in West Bengal.

My exam was scheduled for 2 pm, and I had to report at 1 pm at the exam centre. While entering the exam centre, I was frisked by the National Testing Agency staff members, which I was expecting to happen as per the guidelines mentioned on the admit card.

The admit card states, "Frisking through Handheld Metal Detectors (HHMD) will be carried out without physical touch." So, I was expecting the frisking to happen in the same way, but soon they started touching me inappropriately. 

I was wearing a T-shirt and trousers, NTA officials told me that trousers with pockets are not allowed, and they cut my trousers' pockets with scissors.

I protested that nowhere on the admit card was it written that trousers with pockets are not allowed, yet they cut my trousers. This was highly shameful for me and a loss of human dignity. It wasn't just me, several other students, including women, were dealt with in the same manner.

After doing all this at the entry gate, inside the test centre, another person, wearing a black uniform started frisking areas around our private parts.  

Imagine we had to go through all this before writing the NEET exam. I have appeared in NEET twice before this, but this had never happened. I am well conversant with exam rules and wouldn't break any rules.

It was a very shameful incident, to say the least, that has left me scared. Regarding the incident, I have also reached out Honourable Prime Minister of India, the National Commission for Women, and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. I request the authorities to take action against such incident so that this doesn't happen to anyone else.

(The Quint has reached out to National Testing Agency and HM Education Centre School on the issue for a response. We have also requested the CCTV footage of the incident for clarity on the incident. The story would be updated once a response and more info is received.)

(All 'My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses, nor is responsible for the same.)