Power Failures Disrupt NEET UG 2025 in Indore
If you thought taking a competitive exam was hard, imagine doing it by candlelight. That’s exactly what dozens of NEET UG 2025 candidates faced in Indore on May 4, after a series of power cuts hit more than a dozen exam centers right in the middle of the all-important national medical entrance test.
The drama unfolded as thunderstorm warnings swept northern Madhya Pradesh. Despite these alerts, reports from exam supervisors revealed that several centers had no alternative electricity sources. So while the NEET UG 2025 is meant to be a level playing field, at least 75 students from the affected centers found themselves at a huge disadvantage, as some literally squinted at test papers by candlelight. Students complained about missing questions and losing precious time. For them, the dream of a medical seat now hangs in limbo.
NTA's Defense Meets Pushback
The National Testing Agency—the very authority in charge of organizing NEET—was quick to claim that all Indore centers had reliable power backups in place. But their version was shot down by statements from exam observers who said generators or inverters didn’t appear to be working at all. There was no plan B, despite advance warnings of rough weather.
After candidates and their parents took their complaints to court, the Madhya Pradesh High Court got involved. The judges didn’t take the students’ plight lightly. They slapped an interim stay on the NEET UG 2025 results, specifically targeting results from the affected Indore centers, pending a formal inquiry into whether NTA’s arrangements were, in fact, up to scratch.
- The results of about 75 students have been withheld until further notice.
- Advocates, including Mridul Bhatnagar, argued these students deserve a fair shot—a chance to retake the exam in proper conditions.
- The NTA has been asked by the court to explain its disaster preparedness, especially when warnings about severe weather were already issued.
The clock is now ticking, with the next hearing four weeks away. And while most students across India sit anxiously awaiting results that were supposed to be released June 14, those 75 in Indore are stuck in a nerve-wracking limbo.
For NTA, this isn’t the first rough patch. Last year, the agency found itself fending off allegations about paper leaks in the same exam. The current episode has only added to concerns about NTA’s reliability and whether its action plan for emergencies stands up to real-world tests.
What happens next? The court will weigh NTA’s official response and evidence before deciding if a re-exam is in order or if other measures can fairly resolve things for the students who found themselves caught in the dark—literally and figuratively—on exam day.