An 18-year-old student was initially denied entry to a NEET UG 2026 re-examination centre in Ajmer, Rajasthan, for wearing religious attire [1].
The incident highlights ongoing tensions regarding dress codes and religious freedom within India's standardized testing environments. Because the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is a critical gateway for medical education, any disruption to a candidate's ability to sit the exam can have significant academic consequences.
Kulsum Bano, a resident of Beawar, said that staff at the examination centre required her to remove her burqa or dupatta before entering [1, 2]. Staff said dress-code rules were the reason for the restriction [2]. The student was eventually permitted to enter the facility and sit for the exam on June 21, 2026 [1].
This encounter occurred during a re-examination period. Bano previously attended the first NEET exam on May 3, 2026, and said that she faced no such issues or denials of entry at that time [1, 3].
Reports on the specific attire vary between sources. Some accounts state Bano was wearing a burqa [1, 3], while other reports describe the garment as a hijab [2]. Despite the initial confrontation, the student completed her assessment after the center staff reversed the decision.
Local police and the National Testing Agency (NTA) have been identified as responding to the reports of the incident [3].
“An 18-year-old student was initially denied entry to a NEET UG 2026 re-examination centre”
This incident reflects a recurring conflict between institutional security protocols, which often mandate the removal of face coverings to prevent cheating, and the religious practices of Muslim students. The fact that the student was permitted to enter the first exam without incident suggests inconsistent application of dress-code enforcement across different centers or examination dates.
