NTA finds 10 cases of unfair means adopted by NEET candidates

 NTA finds 10 cases of unfair means adopted by NEET candidates 

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com 

22.07.2022

New Delhi : The National Testing Agency (NTA) has identified at least 10 cases of unfair means involving smuggling of electronic devices into the exam halls by candidates during the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) held on July 17. There were other instances where candidates were detected with electronic devices during frisking and were allowed to take the test only after giving an undertaking and confiscation of the gadgets.

 A couple of cases of attempted impersonation have also come to light where the candidates left the centres when questioned, NTA sources said. As first reported by TOIin June 2019, security of the question papers is another issue which NTA has been ensuring with the use of remote locking system where the boxes are opened at the designated centres just 15 minutes before the exam via remote controls from the centralised control system which generates unique passwords for each lock. As per the internal reports coming from various centres, accessed by TOI, of the 10 cases on unfair means verified so far, one of the candidates was caught accessing amobile phone inside the hall at 5pm (the exam ended at 5:20pm). 

“The candidate’s cellphone was confiscated,” said a senior NTA official. In another case, a microchip was found on a candidate, which was confiscated. “In one case, during frisking there was a beep in the scanner indicating presence of metal. The female candidate suddenly said she was not feeling well and needed to use the wash room. When she returned and underwent the frisking, the scanner cleared her. Later, we found a mobile phone in the wash room, ” said the official. NTA sees all this as a systemic attack to breach the high stakes exam. An expert said: 

“There is no   easy way out as there have been instances of such types of devices being used. Organised groups are working to jeopardise the exams. ” All 7 accused get bail in frisking row A first-class judicial magistrate court here granted bail to all the seven people arrested for allegedly forcing girl students to remove their innerwear before appearing for the NEET exam at a centre in Kerala’s Kollam. 

Earlier on the day, police had arrested Priji Kurian Issac, a professor of Marthoma Institute of Information and Technology, where the exam was held and J Shamnad, an assistant professor, for their alleged role in the incident. 

With this, the total number of people arrested rose to seven Priji was in charge of conducting the exam at the institute and Shamnad was appointed by NTA as NEET observer at the centre. TNN