Right to dignity flouted by teachers in NEET search

There has been a lot of controversies surrounding the NEET examinations on various grounds including a nationwide test of students who are really not equals. 

The syllabus in various states differ from one another. The common denominator for such tests on a nationwide basis, without prescribing and adhering to a nationwide uniform studies up to Class 12 level, is definitely examining in equals as equals. 

Tamil Nadu has been in the forefront of the fight against NEET exams. An ordinance was also passed against NEET’s application for the students of Tamil Nadu State. Yet NEET was held on May 7, 2017 all over the country. 

Widespread cheating in examinations have become common all over the country. Every exam seems to be rigged and students are seen to  openly defy all bans and indulge in corrupt practices. The most widespread practice has been to smuggle bits of answer papers and copy the same at the examination venue. There have been instances of abusing mobile phones and getting answers dictated from persons outside the halls, to those writing exams in the examination halls. 

While jammers could be used to stall such electronic promptings, smuggling papers inside the examination halls became a larger issue. Invigilators took the task of frisking so seriously, that students were not allowed to wear full sleeved shirts / tops. The students who went with full sleeves to write the exams were  seen cutting their sleeves to half and enter the halls. The bizarre levels of scrutiny went to the extent of making girl students remove their innerwear as part of enforcement of the dress code for the aspirants. 

It is learnt that four teachers of a school in Kannur in Kerala have been suspended for making the girl students remove their innerwear, before entering the examination hall. As the saying goes, the teachers were more loyal than the king, while carrying out their ‘duties’ of scrutinising the students who were taking the NEET tests. When there was no such dress code prescribed for the students, it was not within powers of the teachers to bring down the dignity of the students who were at their mercy. Such unsavoury behaviour of the teachers would have also mentally disturbed the students from concentrating on the exams and performing well. 

Right to live with dignity is a fundamental right and the same has been flouted by the teachers who ought to protect the dignity of the students. The sad state of affairs of living in an atmosphere of dishonesty is the root cause for such undignified actions. It is high time truth and honesty be inbuilt into our students’ mindset to avoid such unsavoury scrutiny.