NTA postpones NEET 2019 exam in Odisha in aftermath of Cyclone Fani disruptions, new dates to be announced soon

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, or NEET which was scheduled to begin on 5 May, has been postponed in Odisha in view of the disruption caused by Cyclone Fani, which made landfall in the state on Friday and resulted in the death of at least eight people. [caption id=“attachment_6169191” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image.[/caption] Higher Education Secretary, R Subrahmanyam was quoted by ANI as saying that the NEET exam had been postponed according to the request from the Naveen Patnaik-led state government as relief and rehabilitation efforts were still underway in the state. New dates for the exam weren’t immediately announced. The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Goa President, Ahraz Mulla had also written a letter to the President, Prime Minister and Union HRD Ministry requesting them to postpone NEET exam, in view of difficulties faced by students due to cyclone ‘Fani’ in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. “NEET exam for medical entrance needs a lot of concentration and dedication with the preparation of at least 2 years. The cyclone FANI that has reached the coastal belt of East India has created destruction, with no power supply and other unavailability of other basic needs,” the letter reads. “The students have dedicated 2 years to clear this test, but due to the cyclone it would not be right to conduct this test for the entire country considering the fact that it is an All India Exam with admission based on merit,” the letter further stated. On Friday, Cyclone ‘Fani’ barrelled through Odisha, unleashing copious rain and windstorm that gusted up to 175 kilometres per hour, killing at least eight people, blowing away thatched houses, and swamping towns and villages, officials said.