Archive · 1 Sep 2026
NEET-PG Power Failure Prompts Re-examination and Accountability Calls
A power cut stopped 2,445 medical graduates from finishing an important computer-based exam.
The problem happened at two examination centres in Jaipur.
These centres were supposed to have backup electricity and a plan for dealing with failures.
The government has created a three-member committee to investigate what went wrong.
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences will hold another exam for the affected students on September 5.
However, the new test may have different questions from the original test.
This could make some students worry that the new test is easier or harder.
The editorial says the government should find and punish the people responsible for checking and running the centres.
A power failure disrupted NEET-PG examinations for 2,445 medical graduates at two iON Digital Zone centres in Jaipur.
The affected centres were TC Nos. 41682 and 41683 in the Sitapura locality.
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences ordered a re-examination for September 5.
A three-member government committee is investigating the disruption and its causes.
The editorial calls for accountability among those responsible for inspecting, certifying and supervising the centres.
- Who
- The 2,445 medical graduates affected by the NEET-PG disruption, along with the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, the government and Tata Consultancy Services.
- What
- A power failure prevented candidates from completing the NEET-PG examination, leading to an investigation and a re-examination.
- When
- The re-examination is scheduled for September 5; the date of the original disruption is not specified.
- Where
- Two iON Digital Zone centres, TC Nos. 41682 and 41683, in Sitapura, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
- Why
- The articles attribute the disruption to an internal power-supply failure and raise questions about backup systems, supervision, certification and local execution.
Government Attribution
Editorial Assessment
Responsibility for the failure
Government Attribution
Union health ministry officials blamed Tata Consultancy Services, the operator of the iON Digital Zone centres, for the internal power-supply failure.
Editorial Assessment
The editorial says the government should not treat Tata Consultancy Services as a convenient overall scapegoat because the failure was concentrated at two adjoining centres and may reflect local negligence, supervision or certification failures.
Adequacy of the re-examination
Government Attribution
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences ordered a re-examination on September 5 as a remedy for the affected candidates.
Editorial Assessment
The editorial argues that a re-examination only partly repairs the damage because a different question paper may be easier or harder, undermining equal treatment and potentially prompting litigation.
Scope of the investigation
Government Attribution
The government has established a three-member committee to investigate the incident.
Editorial Assessment
The editorial calls for investigators to identify those who inspected and approved the centres, maintained electrical systems, certified generators and UPS installations, and supervised the examination.
- Affected candidates
- 2,445 medical graduates
- Affected centres
- iON Digital Zone centres TC Nos. 41682 and 41683
- Location
- Sitapura locality, Jaipur, Rajasthan
- Government response
- A three-member committee was appointed to investigate the incident.
- Re-examination
- Scheduled for September 5 by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences
- Wider examination operation
- More than 1,100 centres supported the examination, with over 2.63 lakh candidates completing it.
- Main concern
- A different question paper could raise concerns about equal treatment and potentially lead to litigation.