NTA denies fault in Abu Dhabi centre allotment for NEET re-exam
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has clarified that the allotment of an examination centre in Abu Dhabi for a Nagpur student appearing for the NEET-UG re-examination on June 21 was a result of the candidate's own selection through the official correction window. The agency refuted allegations of negligence, stating that the candidate, Abdullah Mohammad Talib, chose the overseas centre using his registered login credentials during the open correction period.
Political row erupts over overseas centre
The issue sparked a political controversy after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the NTA, accusing it of causing unnecessary stress to students and their families. He alleged that the student discovered only days before the test that his centre was located abroad, making travel impossible due to financial and logistical constraints. “The NTA is actually just testing the patience of the country's children and their parents. A system that can't provide a centre in a child's own city but sends them abroad instead has no right to conduct examination,” Gandhi said.
NTA's explanation and corrective action
In response, the NTA stated that its web activity records showed the city change to Abu Dhabi was made using the candidate's login credentials during the correction window, with consistent single-user activity patterns. Despite this, the NTA received an informal request on the evening of June 19 to change the centre to Nagpur. NTA personnel immediately initiated the change and contacted the candidate's father the same evening to complete formalities. The agency noted that the candidate's account reflected three separate instances indicating the Abu Dhabi selection—once when the centre was changed and twice when details were previewed.
Only one candidate allotted overseas centre
An NTA official confirmed that Talib was the only candidate allotted an overseas examination centre, and no similar cases were reported. The NTA reopened the examination city correction window after the NEET-UG exam was rescheduled to June 21, allowing candidates to modify their centre preferences. Nearly 3.2 lakh candidates availed of the facility, and more than 99.5 per cent were allotted their preferred centres, the agency said.
Student protests and wider implications
The incident comes amid ongoing protests by student activists against the NEET-UG paper leak, with demonstrations held in Patna and other cities. The controversy has heightened scrutiny of the NTA's handling of the examination process, with critics demanding greater accountability and transparency.
