The recent server glitch has once again caused uproar among the aspirants of NEET-UG (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test – Undergraduate), as they were unable to submit their applications on time. The deadline for application submission was set for April 6, 2023. However, at 9 pm, the online application link was deactivated, and the deadline for payments and financial transactions was until 11.50 pm. Despite this, many students reported encountering server issues, such as not receiving OTP, facing difficulties in uploading passport-sized images, or processing payments. A Twitter user, Jay Agrawal, shared that his payment had been processing for the past three days without being submitted.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that students have faced such issues. Similar technical and administrative problems were reported in 2022, when several NEET aspirants complained about a technical glitch that prevented them from submitting their applications. In response, the government had extended the deadline. Similarly, in 2023, many students allegedly missed the deadline due to various academic commitments.
Vishwanath Kumar, the National Vice-President of AJINSA (All India JEE-NEET Students Association), took to Twitter to address an open letter to the Director General of NTA, highlighting the importance of extending the registration deadline. Kumar expressed his belief that reopening the registration form would benefit students who were unable to register earlier, providing them with another opportunity to apply for the exam and pursue their dreams of studying at a reputed university. He emphasized that it would be a positive step towards ensuring that all eligible candidates have a fair chance to appear for the exam.
The inability to submit their applications on time could have detrimental consequences on students’ careers, potentially resulting in loss of an academic year and sustained mental health issues. Pradeep Rawat, Founder of All India Parents and Students Association, acknowledged the problems faced by students and addressed them as issues that can be easily resolved if students amplify their concerns through tweets and emails.
The problem of technical glitches and delays in the application process has been recurrent, largely due to the exponential increase in the number of applicants each year. Dr. Vivek Pandey, an RTI activist, has received numerous complaints via social media from students all over the country who were unable to access the internet or faced inoperative servers due to local disruptions. He emphasized the need to increase manpower and implement efficient technological management to organize an examination of such a large scale.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is scheduled to conduct the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG) on May 7, 2023, which will determine the fate of thousands of medical aspirants.
