‘Traumatic’ to sit for exam without bra: NEET aspirants recall ordeal

Five women who were on NEET exam duty held in an educational institute in Kerala were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly asking girl students to remove their innerwear for appearing for the test held on Sunday, police said

Police told PTI that they were arrested after hours-long interrogation.

While three women work for an agency hired by National Testing Agency (NTA), two work for the private educational institute at Ayur where the incident allegedly occurred.

The incident came to light after a father of a 17-year-old girl who was sitting for her first ever NEET exam lodged a police complaint.

The arrest follows protests that began Monday which intensified and turned violent on Tuesday in Kerala's southern region of Kollam.

Let’s take a look at what the victims and their families have alleged and the response from the National Testing Agency:

“We were called in and told there will be scanning. There were two queues. I was asked if I had a hook attached to my inner-wear. I said yes. Then, I was asked to stand in one line. I saw girls entering a room. They (staff) asked to enter a room and remove the innerwear," an aspirant told News18, describing her experience as horrific.

“When I entered the room, I saw a number of innerwear kept on the ground. We were worried about whether we would even get it back when we leave," the aspirant added.

She further added, “When I entered the room it was very dark. There was no space inside the room and it was too congested. It was indeed a harrowing experience. While writing the exams, we had gone through mental trauma. We had to cover ourselves with our hair."

Another aspirant, speaking to India Today, said girls were crying at the centre.

“I am one of the victims. Not only me, majority of girl candidates were being asked to remove. We all removed. It was very shameful and uncomfortable for us to face the volunteers. It was very stressful. We couldn’t concentrate. After the exam, the inner garments were strewn and very difficult to identify. It is very painful for us and our families.”

Another student, speaking to The News Minute, said officials at the centre were apathetic. "There was a table there, where everyone's innerwear was dumped. We saw some students crying there too,” she said.

“After the exam, they told us to hold our bras in our hands, not allowing us to wear it there.”

Father’s complaint, NTA’s response

The father in his complaint alleged that the teen was asked to remove her bra and sit for the over three-hour long exam.

As per NDTV, the father, in his complaint claimed security personnel told his daughter, "Is your future or innerwear big for you? Just remove it and don't waste our time."

However, the NTA has dismissed the complaints.

 

The complaint is "fictitious and filed with wrong intentions", the NEET exam centre superintendent in Kollam was quoted as saying by NDTV.

A senior NTA official told PTI: "No complaint or representation has been received by us. On basis of claims in media reports, an immediate report was sought from the centre superintendent and observer. They have informed that no such incident took place and the complaint is fictitious and has been filed with wrong intentions."

The NEET dress code does not permit any such activity as alleged by the parent of the candidate. The code provides for ensuring sanctity and fairness of exam while observing sensitivity towards gender, culture and religion during frisking of candidates, the NTA official added.

Meanwhile, NTA director-general Vineet Joshi told Indian Express that the staff entrusted with frisking are “made to undergo training sessions on how to handle frisking sensitively”.

As per Indian Express, a preliminary report has stated that a “metal button was found on the shoulder” of the student’s dress and she appeared for the exam “normally”. It was submitted by an NTA observer at the Kollam centre.

However, the National Testing Agency (NTA) constituted a fact-finding committee to look into the alleged incident after the Kerala government took up the issue with the Centre and demanded strong action.

Taking note of the allegation, the Union Ministry of Education (MoE) said that it has been brought to its notice through various media reports that an incident allegedly happened in one of the Centres of NEET (UG)-2022 in Kerala.

Accordingly, the Ministry said, a fact-finding committee has been constituted by the NTA to ascertain the facts in detail. "Further action will be taken based on the report of the fact-finding committee which will visit Kollam," a senior MoE official said.

The Kerala Women's Commission, on its part, also registered a case based on complaints it received.

Kerala Higher Education Minister R Bindu, in a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, expressed "dismay and shock" at the news of "naked assault on the dignity and honour of the girl students." Bindu sought action to prevent future occurrences of a similar nature and sought the Union Minister's intervention in the matter.

A section of agitators, who took out protest marches, vandalised the education institution at Ayur, where the complainant girl was allegedly asked to remove her innerwear before appearing for the test. Student activists allegedly entered the college premises breaking the police cordon, leading to vandalism. Some student activists suffered injuries in police action.

Based on the girl's complaint, police registered a case. IPC 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) have been invoked, police said.

In a statement, the Kerala Women's Commission said based on the two complaints received, it was convinced that prima facie these were actions that insulted women. The chairperson of the commission also asked the NTA, to take action against those responsible for the incident.

With inputs from agencies