UGC-NET: In Shimla, protest breaks out as aspirants allege college closed entry gate before time

They further alleged, “We were shocked when some aspirants who were with us at the gate climbed over it, entered the examination centre, and were allowed to sit for the exam. We demand the cancellation of this examination centre and a re-conduct of the exam.”

In their counter-complaint, the college authorities said that the entry gate was closed as per guidelines. Some students arrived late and were consequently denied entry, they added.

A police team from Jutogh police post, led by Head Constable Ravi Kumar, was dispatched to the college after reports of a verbal altercation between students and staff.

“We interacted with the examination centre observer, who confirmed that hundreds of students were allowed entry as they arrived on time. The observer refuted the claims of the latecomers. Complaints were received from both sides. One of the staff members at the centre reported a verbal altercation with the students. A police team was sent to the spot,” a police officer told The Indian Express.

The college authorities said that the entry gate was closed as per guidelines.

“We reached the centre before 8.30 am but the gate was closed. I arrived at 8.28 am and saw about a dozen students already standing there, also denied entry. We begged the staff to let us in but our requests were ignored. This exam is crucial for our careers, and we have been preparing for it for over a year,” Sangeeta Verma, one of the aspirants denied entry, said.

Another aspirant Manoj Kumar said, “This is about our future. We were on time, but for some reason, the officials closed the gate earlier than the scheduled time of 8.30 am. We were all scheduled to appear for the Public Administration and Education exam during the morning session from 9 am to 12 pm. Either this exam should be cancelled or authorities should conduct an exam again for all the candidates in this examination centre.”