Imphal: Amid the tense law and order situation in Manipur, the medical entrance test NEET UG has been postponed, media reports said.

The new dates will be declared soon by the NTA, which conducts the exams.

NEET UG 2023 which will be held on May 7 has been deferred and fresh dates for the exam will be announced, news agency ANI reported.

The decision comes after the BJP MP and Manipur Education Minster, Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh urged for holding the exams at a later date as the state is limping back to normalcy after massive ethnic violence, mainly between the Meitei community residing in the Imphal Valley and the Kuki tribals who inhabit the hill districts.

Clashes had erupted on Wednesday, May 3, after the All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) organized a protest rally against the Court order of the Manipur High Court which gave direction to the Manipur government to take a decision on the demand of the Meitei community to include them in the ST list.

“I had requested them to postpone the exam, in the current situation. New date of exam will be fixed. 5751 candidates were scheduled to appear at the two centres in Manipur,” Ranjan told ANI.

A record number of 20,87,449 students have registered for the exam.

Unlike JEE Main, NEET UG is conducted offline and takes place once a year.

Owing to the prevailing circumstances in Manipur, NEET UG 2023 will not be conducted at the exam centers in Manipur on May 7.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will announce the rescheduled dates for the affected candidates later.