The Bengaluru Traffic Police on Tuesday said its fact-check found that a student missed the NEET exam on June 21 because of a late departure from home and the choice of a longer route to the examination centre. The clarification came after the police reviewed CCTV footage, spoke to the candidate from RT Nagar and the parents, and carried out a route analysis.
In a post on X, the traffic police said CCTV analysis and route verification showed that the NEET candidate reached the examination centre after the cut-off time. It said, “Traffic conditions were found to be normal, and traffic police personnel facilitated movement wherever required. The delay was primarily due to late departure from residence and route selection.”
According to the police, the candidate left home in RT Nagar at 12.57 pm, while 1.30 pm was the prescribed cut-off time for entry into the examination centre. The candidate reached the examination centre area at 1.33 pm, after the cut-off time, it said.
The police said CCTV footage and route analysis confirmed that the candidate left only 33 minutes before the cut-off time. It also said the candidate took a longer route even though a shorter route was available and could have reduced travel time.
Giving more details of its findings, the Bengaluru Traffic Police said, “Traffic conditions on the day were generally normal, with no significant congestion attributable to the public event. Traffic Police personnel deployed on the route were seen facilitating the candidate’s movement whenever required.”
The issue had turned political after the BJP targeted the ruling Congress in Karnataka over a mega rally in Bengaluru on the day of the NEET exam, alleging that it caused major traffic disruption and inconvenienced students travelling to examination centres. Rejecting the allegation, state Home Minister Priyank Kharge said three students had missed exams, of whom one came from Magadi and had nothing to do with the Congress rally, another arrived with an old hall ticket, and only one candidate was travelling from the RT Nagar side.
Kharge, citing the Centre’s standard operating procedures for NEET, said the examination centre gates were to open at 11 am and close at 1.30 pm, after which no candidate would be allowed entry. He also said that a traffic advisory had been issued in advance and a helpline had been set up for those needing assistance. The police statement said its review found no unusual traffic conditions and attributed the student’s delay to late departure and route selection.
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Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Jun 23, 2026 15:35 IST
