Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR Aug 11: In an unexpected development, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) stated today that it will not be able to establish an additional examination centre in Srinagar for the upcoming NEET-SS examination. The decision is based on the need to maintain rigorous security standards for the examination.
In response to a request from the J&K Chapter of the National Medicos Organization (NMO) for an additional examination centre in Srinagar, Prof Minu Bajpai, Honorary Executive Director & Vice President of NBEMS, has explained in a letter that the selection of a test city for an examination depends on several factors, including the availability of secure test centres.
“The audit of available test centers in the city of Srinagar has revealed that the required standards of security are not met at the centres available to hold the examination as on date. Accordingly, Srinagar has not been considered as a test city for conduct of the said examination,” the letter stated.
Prof Bajpai said that the NEET-SS 2023 shall be conducted in the city of Jammu where the candidates of J&K can appear, noting: “It is not feasible to conduct the examination compromising any standards of security applicable.”
The letter also noted that Srinagar did not have a designated test centre for the last NEET-SS examination held on the 1st and 2nd of September 2022. “I have got the matter examined with the concerned department…NEET Super Specialty Entrance Examination is a high-stake examination conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences…”
This response has garnered dissatisfaction from doctors who are scheduled to take the examination next month. With the Jammu examination centre nearly at full capacity, these doctors now face the necessity of travelling to Delhi to participate in the exam.
Dr Rubeena Bhat, President of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) at SKIMS, expressed concern: “NBE has stated that they have not designated a centre in Srinagar for security reasons. However, they established a centre for NEET PG here. If the standard for the UPSC centre in Srinagar is considered acceptable, why is the same not applied to NEET SS?”
Another senior resident at SKIMS, Dr Aatif Sanaie, who is also set to appear in the examination, questioned the NBE’s rationale for citing security as the primary reason for not setting up an exam centre for NEET-SS in Srinagar.
“NEET-PG is also a high-profile exam. How is it conducted here by the same examination body? NEET-PG and NEET-SS are both computer-based exams. In fact, NEET PG has more candidates than NEET SS. If Srinagar can conduct NEET PG exams without any issues, what’s the problem with NEET SS?” he asked.
It should be noted that earlier, the Resident Commissioner of J&K, as well as the H&ME Department, also raised this issue with NBEMS. While there is no update from the government on the matter, the Secretary of H&ME told Excelsior a few days back that they are awaiting a response.
Meanwhile, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has also written to NBEMS, Mansukh L. Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, as well as LG Manoj Sinha, seeking the establishment of an additional examination centre in Srinagar. Dr Rubeena hoped for the best in response to the FAIMA request.
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