The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced revised guidelines for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) to be conducted on May 3. In a significant relief for aspirants, the agency said candidates will be permitted to appear for the examination even if their biometric verification fails because of technical or other unavoidable issues.
Nearly 22 lakh students have registered for NEET this year, the entrance exam for undergraduate medical admissions across the country. In earlier years, biometric verification — carried out to confirm candidates’ identities — had triggered problems at several examination centres due to fingerprint mismatch, technical faults and connectivity issues, leaving many students distressed.
As per the updated instructions, candidates whose biometric authentication fails will not be stopped from taking the examination. Instead, they will be required to submit a written undertaking at the exam centre. The declaration format will be provided by authorities during the examination process.
The NTA stated that factors such as device malfunction, unclear fingerprints and physical conditions affecting biometric scans will be treated as acceptable reasons for verification failure. Once the undertaking is completed, candidates will be allowed to enter the exam hall and appear for NEET.
The agency has also instructed officials not to interrupt or trouble candidates over biometric-related issues during examination hours from 2 PM to 5 PM, so that students can take the test without unnecessary pressure or anxiety.
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