NEET-UG | Female Candidates Forced To Remove Innerwear: Kerala High Court Seeks Response From NTA

The Kerala High Court has directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to file a detailed statement explaining the manner in which the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) was conducted at its Kollam centre where female aspirants were asked to remove their innerwear before attempting the exam after metallic hooks were detected during screening.A Division Bench of Chief Justice S. Manikumar and Justice Shaji P. Chaly issued the order on Wednesday in a PIL seeking compensation to the affected candidates and asked the NTA to produce all relevant documents to explain the inquiry conducted into the same. "we are of the view that a detailed statement be filed on the averments made/objections raised regarding credibility and satisfaction of the requirements of public interest litigation, the manner in which examination was conducted, enquiry conducted on the alleged incident etc., with all supporting documents."The plea filed through a party in person had asserted that this was not an isolated event and that in a similar incident in 2017, four teachers of a school were suspended for asking a girl to remove her innerwear before entering a NEET centre in Kannur. While the plea primarily sought a direction to the Centre to publish a common protocol to conduct examinations in India, the petitioner has also sought a direction to the NTA to re-conduct the exam within two weeks.When the case was taken up today, Standing Counsel S Nirmal took notice on behalf of NTA and submitted that the petitioner had made inappropriate averments against the agency, which has conducted NEET for nearly 3 lakh students across the country. He further contended a crime had been registered in the alleged incident. The Standing Counsel added that the petition did not satisfy the requirements of public interest litigation, giving emphasis on the prayers sought regarding free counselling and payment of compensation to the affected girl students.Senior Government Pleader K.P Harish acknowledged the fact of a crime having been registered in the incident and took notice on behalf of the Director General of Police.The matter will be taken up on 5th August for further consideration. Case Title: Asif Azad v. Union of India & Ors.Click Here To Read/Download The Order

NEET-UG | Female Candidates Forced To Remove Innerwear: Kerala High Court Seeks Response From NTA

Hannah M Varghese

Tags