Faraway exam centres stump NEET candidates

This picture has been used for representational purpose

Ahead of the National Entrance and Eligibility Test on Sunday, students have raised concerns over their exam centres. While many from Mumbai have been allotted centres in Navi Mumbai, Thane, several candidates from Nashik and Pune will have to take NEET in Ahmednagar and Baramati respectively. "We stay in Parel and my son has been allotted a center in Nerul. This is going to be a long travel before the three-hour paper," said Dr. Sanjeeta Umbarkar, a parent.

Nashik resident Nileshwari Dusane has been allotted a centre in Ahmednagar. "It is a three-and-a-half-hour drive, but we are keeping some extra time to be safe. Shockingly, this city [Ahmednagar] was nowhere in my preference list. After Nashik I had mentioned Mumbai and Thane because we have relatives there so we could go a day in advance," said Nileshwari.

Capturing a thumbprint at the exam centre is another major concern for students. "There is no clarity on whether ink pads will be provided at the centre, and once a thumb is inked, what is the facility to clean it because candidates are not allowed to use handkerchieves," said Sudha Shenoy, a parent involved in resolving issues in medical admissions. On the exam format, she said, "This year there are 200 questions for three hours. So already 20 questions are increased. This is already stressful for students."