Bhopal, May 3: In a heartbreaking turn of events, a NEET aspirant from Bhopal, Ankita Dangi, found herself searching for her admit card amidst the rubble of her home, which collapsed just a day before the crucial exam. On May 3, as students across the country prepared for the NEET exam, 17-year-old Ankita was left devastated after her house was demolished by a bulldozer early Saturday morning.
Ankita, who had dreams of becoming the first doctor in her family, expressed her despair, saying, “How can I give the exam in this situation? Everything has been ruined—our home, our studies, and our future.”
The demolition occurred in a tribal settlement near Manas Bhavan, where Ankita lived with her parents and sisters. The settlement, approximately 70 years old, was marked for removal under a government project, and the district administration executed the demolition order on Saturday morning, affecting 27 families.
Ankita recounted that she was informed to vacate her home late Friday night, forcing her and her family to spend the night on the street. By 6 AM, their home was reduced to debris, burying important documents, including Ankita’s NEET admit card.
Despite the chaos, the administration is relocating the affected families to permanent housing under the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme. However, Ankita lamented that she was not given enough time to retrieve her belongings. After much effort, she managed to recover her admit card by midday, but her thoughts were consumed with how she would take the exam under such circumstances.
“I have no clothes left for the NEET exam, nor an ID,” Ankita stated in an interview. She expressed concern that even if she reached the exam center, the strict dress code and identification requirements would pose significant challenges, as her remaining clothes did not meet the criteria.
The NEET UG 2026 exam, held on May 3, saw over 22.79 lakh candidates registered, according to the National Testing Agency (NTA). The exam was reported to be balanced yet lengthy, with the physics section proving particularly challenging.
Ankita’s story highlights the struggles faced by many aspirants and raises questions about the impact of such demolitions on vulnerable communities.