Power outage during NEET exam: Contradictions on NTA and administration's submissions, says petitioners advocate

IANS June 24, 2025 369 views

The NEET power outage case has exposed glaring contradictions between NTA and Indore administration's claims. Advocate Bhatnagar presented CCTV footage proving blackouts during heavy rains, while officials shockingly admitted no backup was arranged. Over 100 students argue their results were compromised by the disruptions, but NTA opposes re-exams citing fairness concerns. The court is now weighing evidence after both sides presented arguments.

"There have been contradictions on submissions from NTA and Indore officials" – Advocate Mridul Bhatnagar
Indore, June 24: A day after the Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court reserved its judgment in the case pertaining to power outage during the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024 exam, advocate Mridul Bhatnagar said that several irregularities were noticed during the hearing.

Key Points

1

NTA admitted power cuts lasted 15-60 minutes during NEET

2

Petitioners cite lack of backup despite rain forecasts

3

Court reviewed CCTV and weather reports as evidence

4

Over 100 students now seek re-examination

Bhatnagar, who represented the petitioners (students) in the court, talking to IANS on Tuesday, said that he tried to put all relevant facts before the court, but the main issue was power outage, and he has requested for an order for re-examination for the affected students.

"There have been contradictions on submissions from the National Testing Agency (NTA) and officials from the Indore administration. What has surprised more is when a senior official told the court that district administration wasn't asked to arrange power backup at examination centres," he said.

He added that he has also presented CCTV footage and weather reports showing heavy rain and blackout at several exam centres, and the court has reviewed them thoroughly during the hearing.

He said that both sides were given ample time to present facts before the court.

He claimed that during hearing, the NTA has admitted that electricity was unavailable for around 15–20 minutes to more than an hour.

"To this, we questioned as to why some exam centres were not facilitated with power backup, especially when power cut is obvious in the city," he asked.

Advocate Bhatnagar also told that initially 90 students had filed a petition in the Indore High Court regarding alleged irregularities during the NEET-UG exam, however, later few more students had reached to the court.

"During the hearing, we presented all our facts and so did NTA and the Union of India. The main issue we highlighted was the power outage. Although there were several irregularities, such as lack of drinking water or other problems at the exam centres, our primary point was the absence of electricity," he told IANS.

He also claimed that the number of affected students was rising and now exceeded 100.

The students asserted that their results had been compromised due to the conditions during the exam.

The NTA, represented virtually by the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and in-person by panel lawyer Rupesh Kumar and Deputy Solicitor General Ramesh Dave, maintained that back-up systems were in place at the affected examination centres.

The NTA continued to oppose the demand for a re-examination, stating it would be unfair to conduct the test again for what they estimated to be around 75–80 students.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
This is absolutely unacceptable! NEET is one of the most important exams for medical aspirants. How can NTA not arrange proper power backup? The future of hundreds of students is at stake here. Govt must take strict action against those responsible. #JusticeForNEETStudents
P
Priya M.
As a parent whose child gave NEET this year, I'm shocked by these revelations. The contradictions between NTA and administration show complete lack of coordination. Exams should be conducted fairly for all students. Re-exam is the only solution for affected candidates.
A
Arjun S.
Why is NTA opposing re-exam? If there was power outage for 1 hour, it clearly affects performance. These students prepare for years for this exam. One hour of disturbance can ruin their chances. NTA should own up to their mistake instead of covering up. 😠
S
Sneha R.
The fact that district administration wasn't even asked to arrange power backup shows how casually NTA takes such important exams. Monsoon power cuts are common in India - this should have been anticipated. Complete failure of planning!
V
Vikram J.
While I sympathize with affected students, we must also consider - re-exam for 100 students means delaying results for lakhs of others. Maybe compensatory marks would be better solution? But NTA definitely needs to improve infrastructure for future exams.
N
Neha P.
This is not just about Indore - many centers across India faced similar issues. NTA needs complete overhaul. Our education system deserves better than this chalta hai attitude. Students work too hard to face such negligence. #ReformNTA
K

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