NEET-PG held across India with 1.6 lakh candidates appearing for it

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) – Postgraduate was held at 679 centres in 270 cities of the country on Saturday with 1.6 lakh candidates appearing for it following Covid-19 protocols.

The exam was rescheduled twice in view of Covid-19.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, in a tweet, claimed that some students have complained to him about a last-minute change of exam centre that has led to their inconvenience.

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When asked about it, the Executive Director of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) Professor Pawanindra Lal said two centres each in Sonipat and Panipat were changed on September 8 and 9 respectively due to security issues and the candidates were moved to new centres in Delhi.

Tagging screenshots of a tweet about change in exam centre, Tharoor wrote on the microblogging site: "Over a hundred NEET-PG, 2021, aspirants have written to me because the government doesn't respond!"

"The exam is tomorrow and they are in crisis. The latest complication: many students have been informed at the last minute of a change of centre (one day before the exam); many haven't got admit cards," he said in the tweet.

However, Professor Lal said, "All care was taken to inform each and every candidate individually by phone calls, emails and SMS to ensure they download and print the new admit card with new centres and are able to reach the venue on time."

Initially, the NEET-PG was scheduled to be held on January 10 but was rescheduled for April 18 because of the Covid-19 situation.

"It was again rescheduled because of the second Covid wave on the orders by the PMO. In those orders, it was mentioned that the exam would be held after August 31. Then the earliest possible date was announced for September 11," Professor Lal said.

He said 1,66,259 candidates appeared for the NEET-PG on Saturday and all were provided protective gears comprising a face shield, mask and hand sanitiser for the safe conduct of the exam.

On the day exams were held, the Delhi-NCR region received heavy rainfall leading to waterlogging and traffic jams in several parts of the city.

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)– Undergraduate, 2021, will be held on September 12.