Hundreds of students miss NEET exam in Karnataka due to train delay and exam centre relocation
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New Delhi: Hundreds of students from Karnataka missed the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) on Sunday as their train reached Bengaluru an hour after the scheduled reporting time for the exam, officials said.
A delayed Hampi express train and change of examination centres reportedly without any prior information prevented a large number of students from appearing for NEET 2019 in Karnataka.
The 16591- Hampi Express en route Bengaluru reached the city at 2.30 pm due to which hundreds of candidates could not appear in the exam, they said.
The medical exam was supposed to begin at 2 pm and students from North Karnataka, especially from Hubballi, Ballari, Hospet and nearby areas relied on Hampi Express which was supposed to reach Bengaluru at 7 am. However, the train reached Bengaluru only at 3 pm.
"The train was supposed to reach Ballari in Hospet at 10.45 am but it was not in sight. It reached Hospet at 1.30 pm," said Vinod, a student from Hospet.
A Railway public relation officer told PTI, "For the past one week the Hampi Express is running on a diverted route.
There are no timings for the diverted route. Earlier the scheduled time of reaching Bengaluru was 7 am."
NEET candidates distraught
Students ran from pillar to post in a vain bid to appear for the exam.
Jyothi S Samantri from Ballari poured out her woes in her Facebook post.
She said, "The train that was supposed to reach Bengaluru at 5.30 am is still at Ballekere. The exam starts at 2 pm. Unable to find a way out, parents are struggling."
