Modi’s roadshow in Bengaluru poses no hurdles to NEET students as had been feared

Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow in central parts of the city on Sunday morning, students reached examination centres without any hurdles for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) (UG) - 2023 held in the city. The roadshow was feared to pose hurdles to students from reaching the examination centres and had drawn criticism from the Opposition Congress too. 

A woman helping a student remove a chain before entering the exam centre in Bengaluru on Sunday. (Source: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.)

The NEET (UG) - 2023 was held between 2 p.m. and 5:20 p.m. and the reporting time at the centres was 12.30 p.m.

As the traffic police had imposed traffic restrictions till noon and the roadshow had been delayed by over an hour on Saturday, students and parents feared it would be the same on Sunday and many students left early and reached the centres, to avoid delays.

However, the roadshow wound up before 12 p.m. and by the time the students began pouring in at examination centres, the roads were cleared. 

“We left Kengeri at around 10.30 a.m. to reach the examination centre at Trinity Circle. However, before we reached there, the roadshow had concluded. Though there were some traffic diversions, we were not stuck in a jam anywhere,” said one of the parents, who dropped his child off at the examination centre. 

Students undergo a security check before entering the exam centre on Sunday. (Source: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.)

Meanwhile, the students who appeared for the exam felt that the question paper was “moderate”. “The Biology part of the paper was easy, but the Physics part was a bit difficult. Physics questions were more tricky,” one of the students said. 

“All the questions were based on the NCERT syllabus. Compared to previous years, this year the questions were easy to answer. In the Biology paper, Zoology questions were easier than Botany. But analytical questions were more in Physics. This year there were more multiple choice questions (MCQ) in the II PU exam, which helped students answer the NEET better,” said Devaraju, a subject expert. 

Student removing their full-sleeved shirt before entering the exam centre on Sunday. (Source: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.)

Despite instructions by the National Testing Agency (NTA), some students were seen struggling at examination centres as they had come wearing ornaments, carrying mobile phones, and some failed to bring photo identity cards.

A total of 1,34,379 students from the State wrote the examination. This year, 20,87,445 students registered for the exams across India.