Kerala MPs Urge JP Nadda To Provide NEET PG Exam Centres Within The State

Kerala MPs have urged JP Nadda to allocate NEET PG exam centres within the state, citing the stress and logistical issues of travelling to distant locations for the August 11 exam.

Kerala MPs Shashi Tharoor, Anto Anthony, Hibi Eden, Benny Behanan and others have met with Union Health Minister JP Nadda.

Source : Hibi Eden

Amid the controversy over far-off examination centres for the NEET PG Exam, Kerala MPs Shashi Tharoor, Anto Anthony, Hibi Eden, Benny Behanan and others have met with Union Health Minister JP Nadda, requesting allocating NEET PG exam centres in within the state. MPs highlighted the difficulties candidates would face travelling to Andhra Pradesh or other nearby states for the exam scheduled on August 11. They emphasised the undue stress and logistical challenges this poses for students, particularly in the aftermath of the recent Wayanad tragedy.

MP’s from Kerala met Health minister Sri @JPNadda and requested him to allocate NEET PG exam centers in Kerala, appraised him about the hardships which students has go through to travel to different states to attend the exams! pic.twitter.com/nwIuHypGo1

— Hibi Eden (@HibiEden) August 2, 2024

Speaking to ANI, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, "There have been numerous complaints from various areas, and it’s widely reported in the media. A new issue has arisen with NEET PG, where most candidates from Kerala have been allotted centers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, instead of Kerala or neighboring states. This raises serious questions about the country's ability to conduct exams efficiently."

"I, along with other Kerala MPs, have met with Union Minister JP Nadda to discuss this. The entire NEET system, whether for UG or PG, needs to be reconsidered to ensure a better and more humane approach," Tharoor added.

JP Nadda has assured that NEET PG exam centre will be established in Kerala before the exams.

The issue of far-off examination centres for the National Eligibility Entrance Test - Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2024 has sparked outrage in students. Many students have been allotted centres as far as 1000 km from their homes, leading to widespread frustration and calls for change. 

Several candidates have taken to social media to share their experiences, criticizing the National Board of Examinations (NBE) for what they describe as mental harassment. They are demanding that the exam be conducted in a single shift with centres located within their home states.

The NEET PG 2024 exam is scheduled for August 11 and will be conducted in two shifts. According to students, there are centres in Kerala but many students have been allotted to Andhra Pradesh. At the time of application, students were asked to choose 4 centres, 3 in their home state, and 1 mandatory choice of Andhra Pradesh. Now many students have been allotted centres in different parts of Andhra Pradesh.

Earlier, In a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, MP Adoor Prakash sought immediate intervention, explaining that 1,000 candidates from Kerala and students from other states have been affected by the chaos. He suggested considering holding the exam on a later date in a single shift with nearby test centres, citing travel and accommodation challenges for the students.

Another MP, John Brittas, brought the issue to the attention of Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda. He highlighted how around 10,000 MBBS students from Kerala, including female and pregnant candidates, are set to suffer due to the examination arrangements. Brittas explained that Kerala candidates were mandatorily made to choose the last option of exam centres from Andhra Pradesh, with the majority being allotted centres in AP, a state 1,000 km away from Kerala.