33% candidates skip AIPMT retest

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 25

The All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) conducted amid heavy security across India today witnessed a significant drop in the number of candidates.

Only 4,22,859 candidates took the retest against 6,32,625 who had taken the May 3 test that was cancelled by the Supreme Court amid reports that the question paper was leaked and electronic equipment was used to cheat.

The drop is 33 per cent (2,09,766 candidates) and implies that three in every 10 students who sat for the May 3 test didn’t take today’s test. The drop in the percentage may be attributed to two reasons — candidates may have either decided not to reappear for the exam for their personal reasons or must have taken admission to private colleges instead of waiting for a retest.

Sayyam Bhardwaj, Joint Secretary and Officer on Special Duty (AIPMT), CBSE, said: “The drop is on the higher side. Reasons are simple. Many non-serious students appear to have opted out. And, others may have taken admission elsewhere instead of waiting for a retest.”

The CBSE, in a statement after the “successful” conduct of the exam, said the test had been concluded without any untoward incident being reported from anywhere.

“The CBSE had 6,32,625 candidates for this examination out of which only 4,22,859 downloaded the new admit cards,” the Board said, adding that it had issued repeated instructions to students to download new admit cards and had mentioned in its notifications that entry on the basis of old admit cards (for May 3 test) would not be allowed.

“The CBSE in compliance with the SC orders conducted the AIPMT examination successfully without any untoward incident today,” said the Board which had enforced a strict dress code to prevent the use of unfair means in the test. The Board had earlier debarred 44 students from the retest who reportedly benefitted from the leak on Ma y 3.

The dress code, approved by the apex court, caused difficulties to candidates today with a nun being returned from a centre in Thiruvananthapuram after she refused to remove her veil and Holy cross.

Sayyam Bhardwaj, Joint Secretary and Officer on Special Duty (AIPMT), CBSE, said: “We have no information on any student being returned on the account of violating dress code. Students wearing customary dresses had been asked to report half an hour before the closing time of 9.30am to facilitate frisking. Those who reported in time were allowed to take the test.”

On the Kerala nun, he said: “We have no such information. It is possible that she didn’t report in time or didn’t cooperate in frisking. The CBSE doesn’t maintain centralised data on this issue. We have information that in some centres of Madhya Pradesh, students could not take the test as they reported late due to rain.”

The SC had yesterday said candidates would not be allowed to appear for the retest wearing headscarves and full-sleeve shirts. The order came on a petition by the Students Islamic Organisation of India which had sought permission to wear articles such as hijab, veil and other scarves which are part of essential religious practices.

At several AIPMT centres, candidates were seen tearing off sleeves to become eligible for the entry.