What should have been one of the most important days in their academic journey ended in heartbreak for three NEET aspirants in Bengaluru, who missed their examination by just two minutes after being caught in heavy traffic allegedly caused by a political rally.
The incident occurred at RC Government College, one of the centres hosting the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination. As per National Testing Agency (NTA) guidelines, the gates were closed precisely at 1.30 pm. The three female candidates reached the venue at 1.32 pm, only to find the gates shut.
A final announcement had reportedly been made at 1.29 pm, informing candidates that entry would not be permitted after the deadline.
Desperate attempt ends in disappointment
Determined not to lose a crucial opportunity, the students climbed over the main gate railing and entered the campus. However, the entrance to the examination hall had already been sealed in accordance with NTA regulations, leaving them unable to take the examination.
Parents of the students said they had started their journey on time but became trapped in severe traffic congestion, which they attributed to a Congress rally being held in the city.
The incident sparked emotional scenes outside the centre, with families expressing anguish over a delay of just a few minutes costing students an entire academic year.
Political rally draws criticism
Traffic congestion was also reported near other examination centres, including MES PU College in Malleswaram, where several candidates reportedly reached just before the deadline after navigating crowded roads.
Reacting to the incident, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya criticised the Congress for organising a large rally on a day when thousands of students were appearing for the national-level medical entrance examination.
He stated that students were forced to rush to centres amid heavy traffic and alleged that the rally disrupted movement across parts of the city.
PM Modi delays travel for students
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly delayed his departure from Delhi Airport by about 45 minutes after returning from Odisha and West Bengal.
According to reports, the Prime Minister remained at the airport until 2 pm to avoid traffic restrictions associated with his convoy, ensuring students travelling to NEET examination centres in Delhi were not inconvenienced.
The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination was conducted from 2 pm to 5.15 pm across 5,440 centres in 551 cities in India and 14 centres abroad. The NTA deployed extensive security arrangements, including CCTV surveillance, jammers, metal detectors, additional invigilators and support from security agencies to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination.