NEET-UG Re-Exam Chaos: Late Candidate Denied Entry at Parel Centre Amid Bus Strike

High drama and emotional scenes unfolded outside the Maharshi Dayanand (MD) College in Parel on Sunday as a female NEET-UG re-examination candidate was barred from entering the centre for arriving just after the gates were closed. The incident triggered angry protests from parents and onlookers, who blamed Sunday traffic and a public transport shortage for the minor delay.

The candidate, who had traveled from Kurla, reached the gates at 1:31 PM—just a minute after the National Testing Agency's (NTA) official deadline of 1:30 PM. However, eyewitnesses and distressed parents alleged that the college authorities had locked the main gates early, at 1:27 PM, effectively shutting out students ahead of the scheduled cutoff time.

Commuters Stranded by Sunday Transit Strike

The denial of entry sparked immediate outrage among parents waiting outside the venue. Many pointed out that traveling across Mumbai was exceptionally difficult on Sunday due to an ongoing BEST bus strike, which significantly reduced the availability of public transport and caused unexpected traffic bottlenecks.

"She was right outside the gate, but they wouldn't listen," said a parent of another candidate who witnessed the commotion. "With the bus strike, getting here on time was already a struggle. To lock a student out over a matter of seconds, especially when the college reportedly closed the gate early, is completely unfair to their career."

As the student broke down in tears, her parents and local onlookers pleaded with the college administration to let her through. Even local police personnel stationed at the venue intervened, discussing the situation with the campus management. However, citing strict and unyielding NTA protocols regarding exam integrity, the college authorities refused to open the gates.

Tight Security for the Nationwide Retest

The strict enforcement comes as the NTA conducts a highly monitored re-examination for over 22 lakh medical aspirants nationwide, following the cancellation of the initial May 3 test due to paper leak allegations. To prevent any further irregularities, the testing agency has deployed strict biometric verification, face authentication, and over 1.3 lakh CCTV cameras across centers.

According to NTA guidelines, entry lines open at 11:00 AM, and the final gate closure is set strictly for 1:30 PM to allow for pre-examination security checks before the paper begins at 2:00 PM.

While the examination proceeded inside the Parel institute under heavy security, the atmosphere outside remained tense, with parents demanding accountability and flexibility from authorities when regional crises like transport strikes disrupt student transit.

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