Girl Forced to Remove Bra for NEET Exam
A 17 year old girl was forced to remove her bra to enter the NEET exam centre.
For tens of thousands of medical aspirants, clearing the NEET security check is a huge challenge. Candidates are asked not to carry stationary and follow a strict dress code, in which wallets, handbags, belts, caps, jewelry, shoes and heels are banned.
The Marthoma Institute of Information Technology in Kerala’s Kollam District was a NEET examination center where a 17 year old female student who went to the center for the exam, had to undergo routine security checks. When she was scanned by a metal detector, the machine started beeping. The female security personnel said it was because of the metal hooks in her bra and that she would have to remove her bra if she wanted to appear for the examination.
When she resisted, she was told she would not be allowed to take the medical admission exam. The security official said, "Is your future or innerwear big for you? Just remove it and don't waste our time." Despite the girl’s father’s requests the security official did not let the girl inside with her bra. The girl was then taken to a room to remove her bra. The girl was shocked to see that there were many discarded bras and underwear in the room. Like her many girls were forced to do the same.
Some girls cut the hooks of their bras and tied it, in order to avoid removing the bra. Girls were shocked and mentally traumatized, after all this the girl went and gave her exam as her future depended on the exam. However, the girl’s father has filed a complaint. The father had told a TV channel that his daughter was dressed as per the dress code mentioned in the NEET bulletin which did not say anything about innerwear.
Police said a case has been registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and an investigation has been launched and the friskers who were allegedly involved in the act would be arrested soon.
Condemning the incident, various youth organizations had held protests seeking action against the culprits.The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has also ordered an investigation into the incident.
