Frisking Incident

For the last two days, one news item is highlighted by the media, and that is some girl students who were appearing for the NEET-UG examination in Kerala’s Kollam district, were made to remove their brassiere before being allowed to sit for the examination. These reports have led to outrage across the nation. It was the National Testing Agency (NTA) that was entrusted with the job of conducting this examination.

The issue came to light on Monday (18/07/22) when the father of a 17-year-old girl told the media that his daughter, who was sitting for her first-ever NEET exam was yet to come out of the traumatic experience wherein she had to sit for over 3-hour long exam without a brassiere, although she was dressed as per the dress code mentioned in the NEET bulletin, which did not say anything about innerwear.

The complainant’s father told the TV channel on July 17 afternoon, after his daughter entered the exam centre, he and his wife were about to have lunch in the car when they got a call from a number shown as ‘information technology’ asking them to come to the gate. After reaching thee, they saw their daughter in tears, and the daughter said that she and the other girls were being asked to remove part of their innerwear, and asked them to provide a shawl to wear during the exam. The girls were told by invigilators that they can either remove their brassiere and then they can write the exam. The girls wrote the exam without their brassiere, and most of them were covering their front part with their hair.

As per his daughter-there were two rooms where undergarments of girls and young women were stacked on top of each other in violations of Covid-19 protocols. Those appearing for exams were between the age groups of 17 to 23. After the parents heard what had happened, they went to the DSP of the area and lodged a complaint.

According to NTA, no complaint or representation has been received by them regarding this matter. However, the NTA sought an immediate report from the centre superintendent and observer on the basis of these media reports. The NEET dress code does not permit any such activity, it provides for ensuring sanctity and fairness of exam while observing sensitivity towards gender, culture, and religion during frisking of candidates.

A police case was registered in connection with the incident under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 354(Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), and 509 (Word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of woman) on the basis of a complaint of girl who allegedly faced the humiliating experience. The case was registered after a team of women officers recorded the statement of the girl, adding that an investigation has been launched and the friskers who were allegedly involved in the act would be arrested.

The Kerala State Education Minister told the media that “ We take strong exception to such inhuman behavior from an agency that has only been entrusted with the task of conducting the examination in a fair manner”. The minister strongly recommended action against the agency to prevent future occurrences of a similar nature and sought the Union Minister’s intervention in the matter.

This is not the first time such a case has happened, mentioned below are a few other incidents:

1 In Feb 2020, over 60 women students of a college Bhuj in Gujarat’s Kutch district were allegedly forced by hostel authorities to remove their undergarments to check whether they were menstruating. After the incident came to light, the college principal, hostel rector, and peon were suspended, after FIR was lodged against them.

2 In 2018, two women staffers of an exam centre in Pune were booked under IPC section 354 after a number of Class 12 students alleged that they were “strip-searched” before an exam. They were subjected to humiliating body searches before being allowed to enter the exam hall to write HSC exams.

3 In Kerala, 58-year-old retired teacher, and former municipal councilor, was taken into custody this May when opened a barrage of accusations of sexual harassment from his former students. He was booked under POSCO Act over molestations. According to the police, more than 75 students accused the teacher of sexual assault.

Meanwhile the National Child Rights Commission has taken a suo moto case in the incident.

These type of incidents indicate that we are still living in a male-dominated society, where certain sections of men still believe that they can do whatever they want with women and get away with it because they know that the majority of women will keep quiet, as they do not want to face humiliation from the society. It is high time that the women should raise their voices and fight for their rights, and they should realize that when they come out and lodge a complaint, then the men will also have to face humiliation and punishment for their act of cowardice, under the criminal act.

Let us wait and watch for further development in this case.

Anil Malik

Mumbai, India

20^th July 2022