Member of Parliament P.K. Sreemathy has described as “inhuman and shameful” the alleged removal of top inner wear of a girl at a school in Kunhimangalam as part of enforcing the dress code for the aspirants of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) on Sunday.
“The act of removing the inner wear of the student at the examination centre was unprecedented and inhuman,” said the MP at a press conference in Kannur on Monday. She would take up the matter with the authorities.
The hapless student, who was asked to remove her top inner wear because it had a metal hook, could never be expected to appear for the examination with confidence, the MP said. She termed the incident a violation of the girl’s human rights.
Ms. Sreemathy said she would call upon the Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE), which is conducting the NEET, to review its dress code guidelines. She would urge the Minister for Human Resource and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to look into the matter.
SHRC orders probe
The State Human Rights Commission has ordered a high level inquiry into the incident. It termed the incident a violation of the human rights of students and called for the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission. It asked the Regional Director of the CBSE to submit an explanation within three weeks. The Kannur District Police Chief and the Kerala University Registrar will have to submit separate reports on the incident
“The Commission has noticed similar reports from various places in the State during the NEET. Parents were seen frantically searching for appropriate clothing for their children to be allowed into the examination hall. The CBSE informed the students about the dress code only in the 11th hour. Stringent action should be taken against those responsible for the act,” said the Commission acting chairman P.Mohandas in a press release.
One of the students from Bengaluru was not allowed to write the NEET exams as she was unable to remove her earrings, one of the rules to get inside the hall.
Here, she is seen outside a jeweller’s shop with her father.
The student is seen wincing in pain as the jeweller hurriedly prepared to cut her ear stud with pliers.
Running late for the exam, she is rushing along with her father to Army Public School, Bengaluru, her exam centre.
The candidate made it to the exam, just a few minutes before the 9:30 a.m. deadline.
Tight security was arranged by the police in the vicinity of the test centres. Around 52,300 MBBS and BDS seats are to be filled through the NEET, which replaced the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) as well as all State-level medical entrance tests.
Male students had an equally harrowing experience when they had to cut the long sleeves of their shirts.
The Students line up for the checking and documents verification process before entering the exam hall during the NEET exams.
Many candidates around the country were not prepared to meet the NEET dress code, which prohibited full sleeve shirts, pens, pencils, closed or high-heeled shoes, big earrings, brooches and metal buttons.
Aspirants being checked by officials before entering a NEET examination centre in Bhopal on Sunday.
A candidate at Kunhimangalam in Kannur, Kerala said, “It was harrowing as I had to remove my top inner-wear when the metal detector beeped.” When she came at 8.15 a.m., she had to change her black pants, as dark colours were not allowed. When she returned with new clothes, only 10 minutes remained.
An invigilator checking a student with a metal detector for the presence of gadgets that may be used for copying at an examination centre in Vijayawada. Girls had to untie their hair to show they were not hiding prohibited articles.
Apart from the dress code and banning of items, the CBSE has put in place one of the most elaborate "security check" arrangements for the entrance examination.
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