The Doctors Welfare Federation (DWF) of India has formally appealed to Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda to postpone the upcoming the Institute of National Importance - Combined Entrance Test (INI-CET) 2025 examination scheduled for May 17, citing severe transportation disruptions caused by the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict.
In a letter dated May 15, DWF National President Dr Chandraveer Singh highlighted that multiple airports have been temporarily shut down, while numerous trains and flights face cancellations, delays, or diversions due to the conflict. These transportation challenges pose significant barriers for candidates attempting to reach examination centres, particularly those from affected regions.
The federation emphasised that postponing the examination would ensure "a fair, safe, and equitable opportunity for all aspirants" who might otherwise face "serious challenges in reaching their designated examination centres safely and on time" due to these extraordinary circumstances.
The INI-CET postponement request follows recent decisions by other examination authorities to reschedule major tests.
Last week, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) announced the postponement of its CA exams. Similarly, calls for postponing other national-level examinations, including upcoming UPSC CSE have intensified across student communities.
Education experts and students across India emphasise that these postponement requests reflect critical concerns about examination equity as national-level competitive exams draw candidates from across the country. When certain regions face exceptional challenges like conflict-related travel restrictions, postponement becomes a matter of fairness and equal opportunity.
The government has yet to respond to this urgent appeal, with the INI-CET examination date just hours away.
