NEET UG 2018: Over 13 lakh candidates attempt nation's largest medical test

Applicants wait outside an examination centre to appear in the NEET UG 2018 conducted by CBSE in Jabalpur on Sunday (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: More than 13 lakh candidates attempted the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate (UG) 2018 exam on Sunday, May 6, said the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Monday. 

The national-level medical entrance test was held in 2255 centres across 136 cities. “For this examination, nearly 56000 rooms were arranged in 2255 centres,” said the board, adding that about 2,00,000 persons were deputed by the schools for the conduct of NEET (UG) while 153 city coordinators were appointed in the cities of examination to coordinate with centres. 

“Nearly 15000 police persons were deputed at examination centres with the help of State Police Department,” added the board. 

EXAM	NO. OF CANDIDATES
AIPMT - 2015	6,32,625
NEET 2016 (PHASE – I)	6,67,637
NEET 2016 (PHASE – II)	4,38,867
NEET- 2017	11,38,888
NEET - 2018	13,26,725

An astonishing 1.33 crore SMS were sent to the candidates. The board also communicated the parents through various modes to ensure students follow the issued instructions. Over 1,00,000 SMS and 30,000 mails were also sent to centres to guide them on different issues.

The CBSE also framed a dress code and banned electronic items, communication devices and other such items in the exam centers. It added that all candidates were provided pen for the test.

Among other initiatives taken by CBSE include, airing a radio programme, a capacity building program through Web Radio for organizing centres, communication jammers being installed at centres across to ensure that communication devices are not being used.

“The entire examination was videographed by deputing about 3700 videographers,” said the board.

“More than 4000 observers were deputed across the country at centres to oversee the examination.  About 700 Board’s officials were deputed in all 136 cities to control the examination at local level,” said the CBSE.

“NEET (UG) is the only professional examination in which the question paper for Physics, Chemistry and Biology is administered in 09 regional languages other than Hindi & English,” said CBSE. The details of language wise candidates in 2018 are:

LANGUAGE	NO. OF CANDIDATES
HINDI	146542
ENGLISH	1060923
GUJARATI	57299
MARATHI	1169
ORIYA	279
BENGALI	27437
ASSAMESE	3,848
TELUGU	1979
TAMIL	24720
KANNADA	818
URDU	1711
TOTAL	13,26,725