Manipur's NEET aspirants brave conflict, travel under security cover for retest

More than a month ago, a 19-year-old student from Manipur's Kangpokpi district travelled by road to Kohima in Nagaland to take the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) on May 3. That test was later cancelled following a nationwide paper leak controversy. In the interim, fresh conflict erupted in Manipur, further hardening the faultlines among the Meitei, Kuki-Zo, and Naga communities, making travel for the upcoming NEET retest on June 21 a daunting prospect.

The 19-year-old is among hundreds of medical aspirants from Manipur facing perilous journeys to their exam centres. Her centre this time is in Churachandpur, a Kuki-Zo-majority town. To get there from Kangpokpi, she must pass through either Meitei-majority or Naga-majority areas, both considered unsafe for Kuki-Zos. She travelled with about 20 other aspirants on Tuesday night, escorted by security forces. 'It was really scary because it felt like anything could happen. It was dark when we left, and we were surrounded by security forces. But we reached safely late in the night,' she said.

Manipur has NEET centres in Imphal (Meitei-majority), Churachandpur (Kuki-Zo-majority), and Chandel (mixed tribal). Additional centres are in neighbouring states and Guwahati. The three-way conflict between Meiteis, Kuki-Zos, and Nagas has rendered many roads and highways potentially dangerous for members of each community.

Various district administrations, including those in Kangpokpi, Kamjong, Noney, Tamenglong, Tengnoupal, and Senapati, have announced transportation and security arrangements for candidates and guardians. The Tengnoupal administration stated, 'In view of the prevailing law and order situation, special coordination mechanisms have been put in place with the concerned authorities to ensure the safety and security of candidates and guardians during the examination period.'

Another aspirant, a 21-year-old from Senapati, is awaiting arrangements for her journey to Imphal. For the May 3 exam, she travelled without incident through Kuki-Zo-majority Kangpokpi, but the recent escalation of Naga-Kuki conflict has made that route perilous.

The Kuki Students' Organisation Kangpokpi vice-president Thangtinlen Haokip said transportation was arranged with help from district administration, police, and security forces. Another batch of students was escorted to the Imphal airport to travel to their centres.

The 19-year-old said she was 'emotionally and physically burned out' by the NEET cancellation and the need to prepare again. 'I am just trying to hold myself together. I feel that after going through so much, I can't give up right now. So, my friends and I are encouraging each other,' she said.