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Hyderabad: A goof-up by the National Testing Agency (NTA) led to several NEET aspirants from across the country with type 1 diabetes being denied access to essential medicines and food during the test on Sunday.
Those manning the exam centres didn’t allow in the essentials despite the students declaring their medical condition in their applications.
Parents allege NTA failed to mention the condition on admit cards, leading the exam centre staff to barring aspirants from carrying the supplies into the exam hall.
Speaking to TOI, Bhagyashree, the mother of a 17-year-old aspirant from Hyderabad, said her daughter could barely concentrate on the test because of anxiety over her fluctuating blood sugar levels.
“I was furious to learn that my daughter did not have access to medicine and food. By god’s grace, nothing serious happened. It could have landed her in a coma, or worse,” she said. Her daughter appeared for NEET at a centre in Secunderabad.
Bhagyashree said she had alerted NTA in an email that the admit card did not mention her daughter’s condition but had received no response.
Although the exam centre staff initially did not allow the transparent pouch containing food, medicine and a glucometer into the exam hall, they later relented.
“We thought everything was sorted. However, it was only after the exam that we came to know of her ordeal,” Bhagyashree said. “The exam centre staff had no clue that diabetic candidates were allowed to carry essentials with them,” she added.
Emphasising the necessity of having food and medicines handy, she said when sugar levels spike or drop, children might not be in a position to even ask for help or think clearly. It can quickly escalate into a life-threatening situation.
Another candidate from Jodhpur in Rajasthan too experienced a similar situation. “We reached the centre before time to make sure my son could carry medicines and food into the exam hall.
After much pleading, they allowed him to carry the pouch into the centre but not inside the exam hall,” said Rajneesh, a parent. “The invigilator was considerate and checked on our son a few times during the exam, which was a relief.”
In Delhi, one candidate with type 1 diabetes was spared of such trouble as the parents had visited the NTA office and obtained a special permission letter.
Box 1:
Chocolate rescues Mumbai student
A teenager from Mumbai suffered hypoglycaemia at the NEET centre and had to look for ‘sugar’ during the exam. The girl, who appeared for NEET last year as well, said she did not carry the essentials with her this time as she had been barred from carrying them into the exam hall last time.
“This time, I became hypoglycaemic during the exam. I informed the invigilator who asked for a prescription, but I was not carrying it as nothing apart from the admit card and pen is allowed into the centre,” the teenager told TOI.
She added that the invigilator in the Navi Mumbai centre managed to get some chocolates which helped.
BOX 2
JEE Main aspirants too suffered
Not just NEET, but type 1 diabetic students are facing similar problems during other NTA exams as well. “For every exam, we have to reach the centre at least 45 minutes in advance to explain to the authorities my son’s condition. During JEE Main session 2, they refused to allow juice and medicine inside the exam centre.
We were asked to produce a discharge summary despite having a prescription from a doctor,” said Shikha, whose son appeared for the exam at a centre on the outskirts of Delhi. She said her son was made to keep all the essentials with the invigilator.
“He started shivering during the exam and had to ask the invigilator for juice. Why can’t children keep juice and medicines with them instead of wasting time?” she questioned.
BOX 3
Parents plan to write to PMO
Parents of children with type 1 diabetes are now planning to write to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and launch a campaign on X so that children appearing for competitive exams don’t face similar problems in future.
