Ruckus at NEET centre over removal of ‘kanthi’ in Surat

Surat: A ruckus erupted at a National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) centre in Surat on Sunday after a student was asked to remove her ‘kanthi' (religious beads) during frisking before the exam.According to officials, a parent accompanying the student objected to the removal of the beads and created a scene at the centre. As part of mandatory checks to prevent irregularities, staff frisked students and asked her to remove the beads. She complied and handed them over before proceeding to the examination hall.However, the parent later questioned the directive after making inquiries, claiming there was no such requirement. The parent returned to the centre and created a ruckus, leading to brief tension as police and centre staff intervened.On the parent's insistence, the student was called back, but she reportedly refused to wear the beads.Surat district education officer Bhagirathsinh Parmar said the local administration has no role in the frisking process, as it is conducted by agencies appointed by the National Testing Agency (NTA).The NEET exam was conducted at 22 centres in the city, with 10,173 students appearing and 144 remaining absent.