NEET 2025: Exam held in darkness at Chennai’s KV Avadi: What about students who lost a fair chance?

NEET 2025, held on May 4 across India, saw participation from 22.7 lakh candidates in over 4,000 exam centers nationwide

Chennai | May 6, 2025

What should have been a defining day for hundreds of NEET aspirants at Kendriya Vidyalaya CRPF School in Avadi turned into a distressing experience. Heavy rain on the morning of the exam led to a complete power outage just 50 minutes into the test. The blackout lasted nearly two hours, and during that time, around 450 students were left to attempt one of India’s most competitive entrance exams in the dark.

Students reported being unable to read the question paper or fill out the OMR sheets properly during the blackout. Several examinees were moved from their seats due to water seepage in some of the classrooms. Despite repeated requests, no emergency lighting or backup support was provided, and no additional time was allotted.

According to multiple candidates, invigilators informed them that power would likely be restored shortly. However, the outage continued until the end of the examination, and the students were instructed to submit their papers as scheduled and were escorted off campus through a side gate.

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This incident comes amid reports that the NEET 2024 paper was especially challenging, with Physics being marked as difficult by many aspirants. Now the videos that are going viral, many students can be seen in tears after the exam.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has not yet issued a statement regarding the disruption. The incident has led to questions around contingency planning at exam centres, particularly in areas prone to weather-related issues.

The consequences go beyond marks, and the emotional toll on students who walked out knowing they were never given a fair chance is immense.

It is essential that the NTA investigates what happened at this centre and takes corrective steps. Students must not be left to suffer in silence, and this is not a minor lapse that can affect the future of many.

NEET 2025, held on May 4 across India, saw participation from 22.7 lakh candidates in over 4,000 exam centers nationwide. This widespread exam is one of the largest in the country, and such disruptions only raise more concerns about the fairness and preparedness of the process.

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