Candidates set to appear for the Indian Maritime University Common Entrance Test (IMU CET) 2025 have raised serious concerns after being allotted exam centres far from their chosen preferences, many just days ahead of the scheduled test on May 24.
The IMU, a Central university established under Act 22 of Parliament in 2008, released admit cards for the exam on May 14. Since then, several aspirants and their families have taken to social media to express their frustration over the unexpected and inconvenient centre allotments.
Cartoonist Manjul shared one such experience on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting how a candidate who had listed Mumbai, Pune, Surat, and Nashik as preferred centres was instead allotted Jaipur.
“An acquaintance from Mumbai applied for admission to the Indian Maritime University. His entrance exam is on the 24th. Despite selecting exam centres in Mumbai, Pune, Surat, and Nasik, he has been allotted a centre in Jaipur,” Manjul wrote, tagging the university’s official handle.
He added, “Another friend of his has been asked to report in Jamshedpur.”
Raising concerns over the financial burden and logistical challenges, Manjul said, “They were informed of this today, just six days before the exam. Now, they have to make travel arrangements and spend ₹25,000–₹30,000, assuming each candidate will be accompanied by a guardian.”
He also questioned whether this was a deliberate move to “prevent candidates from appearing” for the exam.
Upon learning the exam would be conducted online, he remarked in a follow-up post, “I’m surprised they couldn’t find enough computers in Mumbai, and instead asked students to report 1,100 to 1,700 km away from the city – and that too on such short notice.”
Several users echoed similar concerns in the comments on Manjul’s post.
“My nephew, who had given Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Goa as centres, has been given Indore. His friend has got J&K…” one user wrote.
Others pointed out that this issue isn’t unique to IMU.
“Nothing new, have seen folks from small tier 7-8 towns in Jharkhand reaching exam centres in another part of India by any means, struggle is real,” one user said.
Another added, “Similar things happened with NEET PG exams last year. Candidates had travelled a few hundred kms to answer the exam, and it was postponed just 12 hrs prior. Later, a new date, candidates from Goa were allotted centres in Hyderabad at short notice, and some even in Lucknow. Exams were online.”
