Students appearing for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) undergraduate examinations from Kerala have complained of being allotted centres in other States.
Higher secondary career guides in the State say more than 10 students have complained that they had been allotted centres in Tamil Nadu though they had given locations near their house as their city preference.
A good number of the complaints are from Kannur. One of the students told The Hindu that though she had appeared for the slot 1 test in Kannur on Tuesday, her examination centre for slot 2, to be held on May 27, was Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Another student who appeared for the examination at Iritty too has been allotted Coimbatore as centre.
Unexpected
Higher secondary officials said students were very distressed about not getting their city of choice, particularly when they had appeared for the slot 1 test in their home district. The change in exam centre, to a place that was far away, was very unexpected, especially at such short notice.
A student who had appeared for the slot 1 test on Tuesday afternoon said she received intimation that the slot 2 exam centre was in Coimbatore that morning. She had filled Kasaragod and Kozhikode as her other city preferences.
The advance information for allotment of examination centre city for both students mentioned Kannur as the city of examination. Only after downloading the admit card, issued later, did they come to know that their slot 2 exam centre is in Tamil Nadu.
Students say they have to keep logging in frequently to check if the exam centre has been allotted. They now worry that they will have to miss the slot 2 test entirely as travelling to a distant place was very difficult at such a short notice. Some students said tickets were impossible to get. Financial constraints were another reason.
Students said they had written to the National Testing Agency that conducts the examinations. City intimation slips till May 28 only have been issued. They are apprehensive that those who get the slips for the tests after May 28 too may end up with examination centres in the neighbouring State.
Career guides say they had created a lot of awareness among students about the CUET since it was only in its second year. It was very sad that students were being denied an opportunity to study in Central universities owing to such glitches by the NTA.
