In Coimbatore, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) conducted on May 5 saw a prevailing sentiment among candidates, highlighting physics as the most challenging subject, while biology, particularly zoology, was perceived as comparatively easy.
S. Sudeeptha, a government school student in Coimbatore, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Our teachers advised us to prioritize biology and chemistry as they are usually more manageable subjects. Success in these areas increases our chances of securing a seat through the 7.5% reservation for government school students. As anticipated, physics proved to be demanding.”
In Coimbatore district, out of 7,447 registered candidates, 7,128 attended the exam, with 319 being absent. Similarly, in Tiruppur district, out of 2,619 registered candidates, 2,532 appeared for the exam, with 87 absentees.
Candidates in Tiruppur echoed similar views regarding the NEET exam. Prasanna Kumar, a second-time NEET aspirant, highlighted the time-consuming questions in the physics paper calling for elaborate answers.
This year, Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts hosted 13 and four exam centres, respectively. P. S. Martin, Coimbatore district NEET coordinator, reported a turnout of over 4,858 female candidates, with the remaining being male. He mentioned, “A 96% attendance rate was recorded in Coimbatore district. The exam commenced at 2 p.m. and concluded by 5.20 p.m., with each centre being monitored by five to ten police personnel and uninterrupted electricity supply was ensured. No issues were reported by students or centres.”
Tiruppur recorded an attendance rate of 96.5%.
Additionally, of 13 candidates with disabilities who registered for the exam in Coimbatore district, 12 appeared. while seven did so in Tiruppur. However, no scribes were allocated in either district this year, as no candidate had visual impairments.