Hundreds of students in Karnataka miss NEET exam due to train delay

Bengaluru: Hundreds of students in Karnataka missed the NEET examination on Sunday due to a 7-hour delay of the Hampi Express, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said on Sunday. 

The Hampi Express from Hubli to Mysuru is presently running on a diverted route due to maintenance work between Guntakal-Kalluru. 

Kumaraswamy alleged that a last-minute change in the exam centres and lack of proper communication of the same created confusion among students and has also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal and HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar to "intervene and ensure that students who have missed the opportunity today get another chance to write the NEET 2019 Exam."

I request PM @narendramodi, Rail Minister @PiyushGoyal, @HRDMinistry , @PrakashJavdekar
to intervene and ensure that students who have missed the opportunity today get another chance to write the #NEET2019 Exam — CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) May 5, 2019

Meanwhile, former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah slammed PM Modi and the Ministry of Railways for failing to ensure that the trains run on time. 

"Mr Narendra Modi, you pat your own back for others’ achievements but will you also take the responsibility for your cabinet ministers incapabilities. Hundreds of students in Karnataka may not be able to take up NEET because of delay in the train services,” he tweeted. 

Siddaramaiah further added, "Ask Piyush Goyal to work properly for the next few days and then we will set it right. Also, ensure that the aggrieved students get another chance to write NEET exam."

Mr. @narendramodi,

Ask @PiyushGoyal to work properly for next few days and then we will set it right. Also, ensure that the aggrieved students get another chance to write NEET exam.
2/2

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 5, 2019

However, the railways in a press release said that they had informed the reserved passengers of the train in advance about the train delay via SMS.

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The South Western Railway also said that they will write to the HRD Ministry to re-conduct the NEET exam for students travelling in the Hampi Express.

South Western Railway PRO: We will write to Ministry of HRD to re-conduct the NEET exam for students, who were travelling in the Hampi Express and missed their exam due to a delay in train reaching the destination. — ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2019

Meanwhile, the NEET exam was postponed in wake of Cyclone Fani that caused major damage to the state.