NTA Reveals How a Nagpur Student’s Exam Centre Ended Up in Abu Dhabi
The controversy surrounding a Nagpur-based student being allocated an exam centre in Abu Dhabi has taken a surprising turn. After facing intense criticism, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued an official statement clarifying the sequence of events that led to this unusual situation.
According to the NTA’s web-activity records, the change of the exam centre to Abu Dhabi was not the result of any technical malfunction. Instead, the modification was made using the student’s own registered login credentials. This revelation has shifted the narrative significantly, suggesting that the centre change was initiated from the student’s account itself.
Despite this finding, the NTA has chosen to adopt a student-first approach. Keeping the candidate’s future in mind, the agency acted on a request received just 48 hours before the examination and allocated a new centre in Nagpur for the student.
Centre Changed Through Student’s Login
Digital records maintained by the NTA indicate that when the city correction window was opened after the exam date was fixed for June 21, the centre was changed to Abu Dhabi using the student’s registered login ID and password. The records show a consistent single-user access pattern, meaning the same credentials were used throughout the process.
Centre Verified Three Times
Citing its data, the agency stated that the centre was changed to Abu Dhabi once using the student’s credentials, and the preview was viewed twice to confirm that the centre was indeed in Abu Dhabi. In total, this information was recorded in the system on three separate occasions, indicating that the change was not accidental or unnoticed.
Informal Request Received 48 Hours Before Exam
The NTA revealed that it received an informal request on the evening of June 19, exactly 48 hours before the examination, asking for the student’s centre to be changed to Nagpur. This request came after the initial allocation had already been made and the correction window had closed.
Immediate Action Taken and Parent Contacted
Although the error was recorded at the student’s level, NTA officials began working on the matter immediately. On the evening of June 19 itself, they contacted the student’s father to complete the formal procedure for the centre change. This proactive step was taken to ensure that the student could appear for the exam without any disruption.
NTA’s Clarification: 99.5% Students Received Preferred Cities
The NTA further explained that approximately 3.2 lakh candidates utilised the correction window that was opened after the re-scheduling of the exam. Of these, more than 99.5% of students were allocated their first-choice exam city. This statistic was shared to highlight that the vast majority of candidates received their preferred locations without any issues.
NTA’s Student-First Approach
In its official statement, the NTA emphasised its priority: “Our focus is to ensure that no candidate misses the examination due to any administrative doubt or confusion.” Following this principle, the agency accepted the student’s request and changed the centre to Nagpur. This decision was made despite the records showing that the change had originated from the student’s own account.
How the Controversy Began
The entire matter is linked to Abdullah Mohammed Talib, a student from Nagpur. When he downloaded his admit card for Re-NEET 2026, he found that his exam centre was listed as an Indian school in Abu Dhabi, UAE. His father, Dr. Mohammed Talib, claimed that his son did not possess a passport and was shocked to see the admit card. After a screenshot of the admit card went viral on the internet, the issue quickly escalated and reached political circles.
Political Reactions and Scrutiny
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, attacked the government and the NTA on social media over this incident. He wrote that a system which cannot allocate a centre in a child’s own city has no right to conduct examinations. He also questioned how such a situation could occur just one day before the exam.
In response to this political pressure, the NTA has now come forward with its digital evidence, clarifying that the centre change was made from the student’s account itself. However, to ensure that the student’s academic year is not wasted, the agency intervened promptly and allocated a new centre in Nagpur.
The NTA’s detailed explanation provides a clearer picture of the events, though questions may still remain about how such a significant change could go unnoticed until the last moment. The agency’s decision to prioritise the student’s welfare, despite its findings, reflects its commitment to ensuring fair examination opportunities for all candidates.
