NEET retest security measures may deepen student stress, says Annamalai

CHENNAI: Founder and chief servant of We The Leaders organisation K Annamalai on Tuesday criticised the Centre over the elaborate security arrangements put in place for the NEET retest scheduled on June 21, saying the measures risked intensifying pressure on students instead of restoring confidence in the examination system.

In a social media post, Annamalai said the Union government had introduced an unprecedented security apparatus for the retest, including two-tier CRPF and CISF escort with IAF airlift, four-layer AI-enabled CCTV surveillance, biometric and facial recognition checks, multi-stage frisking and direct monitoring from the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Yes, you read it right,” he said, adding that such arrangements were being deployed not for the purchase of classified military-grade software but for a national entrance examination.

While acknowledging the government’s intent to curb paper leaks and strengthen monitoring, Annamalai argued that the enhanced scrutiny before entry and the increase in examination duration from 180 minutes to 195 minutes would add to the anxiety of students who had spent months preparing for the test.

“The government has taken measures to contain leaks, but it has forgotten the additional burden imposed on young students before they even enter the examination hall,” he said.

Referring to the National Education Policy 2020, he said the approach contradicted the policy’s stated objective of reducing exam stress.

Annamalai also flagged complaints over difficulties in downloading admit cards and said the present framework risked creating a new set of problems instead of resolving existing concerns surrounding NEET.