‘Asked To Lower My Pants’: Re-NEET Candidate Alleges Invasive Pad Inspection During Frisking At West Bengal Exam Centre

West Bengal: A Re-NEET candidate has alleged that she was subjected to an invasive and humiliating frisking procedure at her examination centre in West Bengal, raising questions about the limits of security checks conducted during high-stakes entrance examinations.

Hrishika Pal, who appeared for the Re-NEET examination at Malda Bibhutibhusan High School, shared her experience in a social media post that goes with the ID, hrishikaapal on Instagram, that has since drawn widespread attention and sparked discussions about candidate dignity during exam-day security procedures.

According to Pal, the incident occurred during the frisking process before she was allowed to enter the examination centre. She claimed that a female staff member asked whether she was menstruating and, after she replied in the affirmative, instructed her to lower her pants so that her sanitary pad could be inspected.

“This was not a routine security check over clothing,” Pal wrote. “I was made to expose an intimate part of my body in order to gain entry to an examination that determines the future of lakhs of students.”

She said the experience left her feeling “shocked, embarrassed and powerless,” adding that she feared refusing the instruction could jeopardise her entry into the examination hall.

Candidate questions procedure

In her post, Pal questioned whether such a procedure was officially authorised and whether other candidates had undergone similar checks.

“Security checks are necessary. Humiliation is not,” she wrote, calling for greater clarity on where examination authorities draw the line between ensuring fairness and respecting personal dignity.

In a follow-up statement, she said she had spoken with several female candidates who appeared for the Re-NEET examination at different centres. According to her, none reported being asked about their menstrual status or subjected to a similar inspection.

“I spoke to several female candidates who appeared for Re-NEET at different examination centres. None of them were asked whether they were on their periods, nor were they subjected to this kind of inspection,” she stated. She further alleged that, based on what she observed, the checks at her centre appeared to be targeted specifically at candidates who disclosed that they were menstruating.

Social media reactions surface

Following Hrishika Pal's post, several social media users shared their own experiences and reactions, with some alleging that they had faced similar checks during medical entrance examinations.

One user claimed that a comparable procedure was followed during last year's NEET examination at a centre in Malda.

"Last year I was on my periods during NEET and my centre was Sahapur High School, Malda. I was asked the same question and after saying yes the female guard ran her hands down from the front to back feeling my pad over my pants."

Another individual alleged that she underwent a similar experience during the recent Re-NEET examination at a centre in Kolkata.

"Yesterday with me same thing happened. My centre was Beleghata Santi Sangha Girls' School. Even I told them I am feeling uncomfortable, still they wanted me to lower my pants. I asked the teachers and they didn't even listen to me. @nta_india I want answer. You don't have the right to check us like this."

Many users also expressed support for Pal and questioned whether such frisking methods were justified.

"I am so sorry. You deserved better. You are strong that you came forward with it."

Another comment criticised what the user described as an imbalance in accountability between students and authorities.

"When a student makes a mistake, they are punished immediately. When the system makes a mistake, students are expected to suffer in silence."

Some users advised the candidate to formally raise the matter with authorities responsible for women's rights and grievance redressal.

"Inform the State as well as Central Women Commission from the official website. Post these on Twitter also and tag these two commissions and their heads."

While the comments have amplified concerns surrounding frisking procedures at examination centres, the claims made by social media users have not been independently verified. Neither the National Testing Agency National Testing Agency (NTA) nor the concerned examination centres had issued a response to these specific allegations at the time of writing.

Calls for clarification

The allegations have led to much discussion on social media, where many users have raised questions about whether the frisking process mentioned by the candidate conforms to the existing examination guidelines. There have also been demands for an explanation by the concerned authorities about the processes conducted at the examination centre.

So far, no official statement from either the examination authorities or the centre in question with regard to the allegations raised by the candidate has been made.

Re-NEET conducted for over 22 Lakh aspirants

The National Testing Agency conducted the NEET UG 2026 re-examination on June 21 for more than 22.79 lakh medical aspirants in India and abroad.

The examination was held in a single shift from 2 pm to 5:15 pm across 5,440 centres in 551 cities in India and 14 international locations. The pen-and-paper test consisted of 180 questions from Physics, Chemistry and Biology, carrying a total of 720 marks. The exam was conducted in English and 12 Indian languages.

Disclaimer: FPJ does not vouch for the authenticity of the claims mentioned in the post.

Published on: Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 02:14 PM IST