Mumbai: NEET Candidate Denied Entry At Exam Centre In Parel Despite Reaching Before 1:30 PM Cut-Off, Says Report

Mumbai: A NEET UG candidate was allegedly denied entry to an examination centre in Mumbai’s Parel area after arriving just a few minutes past the entry deadline, sparking fresh discussion over the strictness of exam entry rules and whether a short grace period should be considered.

As per the Aaj Tak report, the student reached the centre at 1:27 PM, while the entry deadline was 1:30 PM. Despite being within the final minutes of the reporting window, she was not allowed to enter the examination hall.

The report also stated that all candidates were required to be inside the centre by 1:30 PM. The report noted that the student was stopped even though she arrived just minutes before the cutoff time, raising questions about administrative discretion in such cases.

Meanwhile, a video shared on X by user Atul Singh showed tense scenes outside the examination centre, with parents and bystanders protesting and urging authorities to allow students to enter. Sharing the video, the user wrote, "A female student who arrived 2 minutes late for the NEET re-exam at a college in Parel, Mumbai, was barred from entry. Parents standing there accused the center of closing the gate 7 minutes before the scheduled time. A major commotion ensued."

The video shows a crowd gathered outside the closed gates of the examination centre, with several people appealing to officials to reconsider the decision. Some were heard urging authorities to open the gate, arguing that the students were only a few minutes late and should be allowed to appear for the examination. Others questioned the timing of the gate closure and alleged that the gates had been shut before the scheduled deadline.

According to a Republic report, the candidate had travelled from Kurla and reached the examination centre at around 1:31 PM, just a minute after the National Testing Agency's (NTA) official gate-closing time of 1:30 PM. The report further stated that some parents and eyewitnesses alleged the college authorities had shut the gates at around 1:27 PM, before the scheduled deadline.

The Republic report also noted that parents attributed the delay to the ongoing BEST bus strike in Mumbai, which reportedly disrupted public transport services and contributed to traffic congestion. Quoting a parent who witnessed the incident, the report stated: "She was right outside the gate, but they wouldn't listen. With the bus strike, getting here on time was already a struggle. To lock a student out over a matter of seconds, especially when the college reportedly closed the gate early, is completely unfair to their career."

As the student reportedly broke down in tears, parents and bystanders appealed to the college administration to allow her to appear for the examination. Local police personnel stationed at the venue were also seen discussing the matter with the institute's management. However, citing NTA protocols, the authorities allegedly refused to reopen the gates.

According to NTA guidelines, candidates were required to report to their examination centres between 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM. The agency had stated that entry gates would close sharply at 1:30 PM and that no candidate would be permitted entry thereafter under any circumstances.

However, the allegations regarding the student reaching before the deadline, the gates being closed early, and the role of the bus strike in the delay could not be independently verified by the Free Press Journal.

Published on: Sunday, June 21, 2026, 02:09 PM IST