2 hours ago 
Himanshu SHARMA / AFP via Getty Images
Heightened information astatine exam centres included metallic detectors, CCTV and strict formal codes
Millions of hopeful aesculapian students crossed India are resitting a important exam nether unprecedented security, aft the archetypal insubstantial was cancelled pursuing allegations that the questions had been leaked.
Nervous students were met with biometric recognition checks, metallic detectors, armoured patrols and frisking astatine exam centres connected Sunday morning.
Leaving thing to accidental this time, the Indian Air Force transported the caller trial papers to immoderate regions, portion constabulary and paramilitary officers were deployed astatine the 5,440 exam centres crossed the country.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), known arsenic NEET-UG, is required for students to articulation aesculapian colleges successful India.
Of the millions who instrumentality the exam each year, lone a tiny percent bash good capable to unafraid a coveted assemblage placement.
Nearly 2.28 cardinal candidates sat the exam connected 3 May, having studied for months - successful immoderate cases years - for the notoriously hard paper.
The quality that it had been scrapped was devastating for galore students, and the ungraded sparked wide protests and demands for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign.
He did not, and told students earlier Sunday's exam: "Sit fearlessly, without worry, and you volition decidedly bash well."
The National Testing Agency (NTA) said each exam room, of which determination were much than 95,000, had been fitted with information cameras, and that much than 1.3 cardinal cameras successful full had been installed.
It added that 51,311 jammers were being utilized to artifact telephone signals and electrical interference. Controversially, Telegram has been temporarily blocked until Monday, implicit concerns the messaging app could beryllium utilized for cheating.
Nearly 39,000 frisking staff had been employed crossed the state to cheque for immoderate prohibited items, the NTA said, and determination would beryllium 40-50 information unit stationed astatine each exam centre.
It advised students to "ignore rumours and fake 'paper leak' messages circulating connected societal media", saying they were designed to "mislead and origin stress".
Reuters
The Indian Air Force was utilized to transport the caller exam papers securely to immoderate regions
India Today reported drones and canine squads had been deployed to support an oculus connected the surrounding areas of immoderate centres.
It besides said that strict formal codes were being enforced, including the banning of enclosed shoes, and that immoderate women had been asked to region their chemoreceptor pins and wrist threads.
Pictures from extracurricular exam centres showed information unit inspecting candidates' hair, and taking retired their earrings.
Despite the heightened security, immoderate students said they were inactive disquieted things could spell incorrect again.
"There is fearfulness due to the fact that the [exam] insubstantial has leaked erstwhile already. This is not a one-off thing, it happens each year," 1 student, who gave their sanction arsenic Diksha, told Reuters.
"This clip [the authorities] got to cognize astir it and are holding the exam again, which is successful a mode a bully happening due to the fact that the students who worked hard should get just results. But to survey and hole again successful 1 month… to enactment accordant is difficult."
EPA-Shutterstock
The cancellation of the exam successful May owed to allegations of insubstantial leaks sparked pupil protests
The exam runs for 3 hours and 15 minutes, and has 180 questions connected physics, chemistry and biology.
Many students person backstage tutoring to assistance amended their show successful the test, but its trouble level, paired with however competitory it is to get a assemblage placement, has seen India's organised transgression networks instrumentality the accidental to nett from exam fraud.
The leak allegations person been handed implicit to India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
It is not the archetypal clip the state has faced superior claims of exam cheating and irregularities.
And earlier this year, results for a Grade 12 exam - equivalent to A-levels successful the UK - saw galore students kick astir marking errors aft a caller integer marking strategy had been introduced.
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