Student disallowed from writing NEET over photo mismatch in Namakkal

COIMBATORE: A student was allegedly denied entry into a National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) examination centre at Rasipuram in Namakkal district, after officials claimed that the photograph on his hall ticket did not match his appearance.

The incident occurred at the Government Higher Secondary School in Namagiripettai, one of the designated NEET examination centres in the district. As per protocol, candidates were allowed to enter the hall about an hour before the examination, which commenced at 2 p.m., following strict verification of their hall tickets, Aadhaar identification, and biometric attendance.

During the screening process, officials reportedly identified discrepancies in the photograph printed on the hall ticket of R Divakar, a candidate from Namakkal. Citing a mismatch between the photograph and the student’s physical appearance, authorities suspected a case of impersonation and denied him entry into the examination hall.

“They assumed that someone else had come to my place and did not allow me to write the exam. I am deeply upset that I could not appear for NEET despite preparing hard to achieve my ambition,” Divakar told the media.

The incident led to a brief commotion outside the examination centre, with the visibly distressed student left uncertain about his next course of action. Parents accompanying other candidates attempted to console him.

The incident has sparked concern among parents and students regarding the stringent verification process and the possibility of genuine candidates being denied the opportunity to appear for a crucial national-level examination due to documentation discrepancies.