NEET UG 2026 Candidate’s Father Creates Ruckus Outside Surat Exam Centre After Daughter ‘Forced’ To Remove ‘Tulsi Mala’ | Watch

Surat: On Sunday, May 3, when more than 22 lakh students across India sat for one of the country’s most competitive medical entrance examinations NEET UG 2026. A tense scene outside a NEET UG 2026 centre in Gujarat’s Surat ended up drawing attention far beyond the examination hall.

What began as a routine security check at the Amroli centre quickly turned into a heated argument after a student was allegedly asked to remove her Kanthi-Tulsi mala before entry. Within hours, videos of the confrontation spread online, triggering a wider debate over how exam-day rules are enforced when they intersect with religious symbols.

A routine frisking turns into a confrontation

According to accounts from the centre, the student had reached the venue for NEET UG when frisking staff reportedly asked her to remove the sacred Kanthi (Tulsi mala) as part of standard security checks.

Her father immediately objected.

In the video, he can be seen arguing with school staff and security personnel, saying the necklace was a religious symbol and should not have been treated like an ordinary accessory. At one point, he is heard saying, “Why did they make her remove the kanthi? She will not remove it.” As officials tried to explain that it was part of examination protocol, he continued to protest, saying, “You are spoiling her exam. Why only the kanthi?”

As the exchange grew more tense, the father stepped outside the gate and continued speaking on camera. “My daughter won’t remove her kanthi for the NEET exam,” he said, insisting that the sacred thread was part of their faith. The argument soon moved outside the school gate, where other parents and students had gathered.

For several minutes, the exchange remained tense. Staff members were heard asking him to cooperate so that the examination process would not be disrupted.

Why the incident struck a chord

NEET is one of India’s most tightly monitored entrance examinations. This year, more than 22 lakh candidates appeared, with strict anti-cheating protocols in place at centres across the country.

Candidates were subjected to frisking, biometric verification and document checks before entry.

But what made the Surat incident stand out was the larger question it raised: where should the line be drawn between exam security and personal faith?

Many on social media questioned whether religious items that do not pose a security threat should be removed at all.

NTA guidelines say religious articles are allowed

The National Testing Agency had, in its exam-day instructions, clarified that candidates wearing customary or religious attire would be permitted entry, subject to additional checking and early reporting.

According to the media reports, a senior NTA official later described the Surat episode as “wrong” and “unacceptable,” saying candidates should not have been asked to remove articles of faith in violation of the agency’s own guidelines.

The agency has said it will seek a field report and examine what exactly happened at the centre.

Entry was eventually allowed

Initial reports suggest the student was eventually allowed to appear for the examination.

However, by then, the incident had already gone beyond the school gate and onto social media, where it triggered sharp reactions from parents, students and education observers.

For many families, the issue was not simply about one necklace. It became a reminder of how stressful exam day already is, and how confusion over rules can make that pressure even worse.

Strict checks at centres across the country

The controversy gained further attention because another video from NEET centres, which also circulated widely on Sunday, showed how strict the frisking process had become this year.

In that clip, security personnel were seen using a small utility cutter to remove metal parts from students’ clothing before entry into the examination hall. In one instance, a female officer carefully cut away a metal chain from the pocket area of a female student’s trousers. Later in the same video, a male officer was seen removing the metal zipper puller from another student’s track pants.

These checks were reportedly carried out because metal objects such as zipper pullers, chains and similar accessories are restricted under the NEET dress code. Officials say such items can interfere with metal detectors and, more importantly, are not permitted because of strict anti-cheating protocols.

The pen-and-paper NEET-UG 2026 exam, which was administered on May 3 for admission to MBBS and other undergraduate medical programs, had a 96.92% attendance rate, with over 22.05 lakh applicants globally out of 22.75 lakh registered candidates.

Published on: Monday, May 04, 2026, 12:33 PM IST