The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) was successfully held on May 6,2018 across various centres in India. To appear the exam, not just medical terms but students have to keep many rules in their memory as set by the conduction board, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to get an entry at the exam hall. This year, a student at an examination centre in Kerala was asked to remove her bra as it contained metal hook before writing NEET 2018. But the situation degraded when the invigilator continued to stare at her chest inappropriately making her uncomfortable during the exam. She filed a police complaint under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 509 (eve teasing by word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and investigations have begun.

As reported by The News Minute, the incident took place at the Lions School in Koppam in Palakkad district of Kerala during NEET 2018 exam. According to the rules prescribed by CBSE, metal is one of the prohibited items along with many equipment. As the teenager obeyed the instruction, she also handed over the shawl to her parents. The student’s relative Aaziya Shafi reported, “She had followed the dress code, was dressed in a light colored half sleeve top, she wasn't wearing a shawl. Asking her to take off her bra was itself a traumatising experience for her. Above that, the male invigilator stared at her disrespectfully. She was scared out of her wits.”

It was later understood that not just her, few other girl students were also asked to take off the bra before entering the exam centre focussing at the “metallic items not allowed.” The Police authorities have begun the investigations and speaking with other students who appeared NEET 2018 at the same centre. “We are trying to speak to more witnesses who appeared for the test in the school. We are trying to get the list of other students who wrote the test in this school,” the sources informed. On the other hand, CBSE’s Regional Officer, Tarun Kumar reported PTI that so far, they did not receive any complaint on the matter so far.

This is not the first time that such situation occurred during country’s most coveted entrance exam. Last year too, a controversy stormed when a girl from Kannur city in Kerala, was forced to remove her inner wear to appear the exam. It is fine as CBSE has mentioned not allowing metal objects in their rules before entering the exam hall. However, the problem lies within those cheap mentalities who intent to discomfort these medical aspirants. The school authorities informed that all the supervisors were females, but an external observer from CBSE visited the centre and the complaint is filed against him.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 11, 2018 09:36 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).