Thousands of candidates are to write their UGC-NET on a day a self-styled students’ body has called a march to the state secretariat that threatens to disrupt life in the city and its neighbouring districts.

Police flagged concerns and also promised help.

“When has this march been called? On August 27, when thousands of students will write an all-India UGC-NET examination after months of preparations. The examinations will be held from 9.30am to 12.30pm and 3pm to 6pm. I cannot recall another instance where a chhatra samaj (students’ body) has called such a protest that will inconvenience thousands of students,” Supratim Sarkar, additional director-general of police (south Bengal), told a news meet.

“It is beyond my understanding how Chhatra Samaj can go against the interest of students? We want to raise this question,” Sarkar said.

The examinees have to reach their centres by 8.30am.

A division bench of Calcutta High Court on Friday approved the march “towards Nabanna” on August 27, called by Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj, which claims to be an apolitical platform. The stated purpose of the march is to demand chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation and justice for the victim of rape and murder at RG Kar hospital.

Sarkar said: “Certain quarters are trying to misinterpret a recent order of the Supreme Court. The court has said the police will not intervene in any peaceful protest called in the wake of the RG Kar incident. At the same time, the apex court has said it has not injuncted the state from exercising such lawful powers as entrusted by the law.”

The officer said they had received emails from those who will write the exam on Tuesday expressing concerns over how they would reach the test venues.

A student at Jadavpur University, who lives in Howrah and will write the test at Om Dayal Institute of Technology in Howrah’s Uluberia, said he was worried about whether he could reach the exam centre safely.

“I had planned to board a bus that crosses Vidyasagar Setu and goes past Nabanna on its way to Uluberia. Now I am worried whether I will be able to go to the exam centre. My parents are worried. This organisation should not have called the march on a day when thousands of students will write their exam,” said the JU student, who did not want to be named.

Trishia Haldar, from Dankuni in Hooghly, will write the test at TCS Gitabitan in Salt Lake Sector V.

“I am worried because everyone is fearing disruption. Even the police are saying the march has been called to unleash chaos. I wonder what to do if I get stuck in the chaos,” said Haldar.

The UGC-NET, which shortlists candidates for the post of assistant professor, was to be held in June but it got cancelled after allegations of question leak. Following the revised schedule, the tests started in August and will go on till September 4.

Sarkar, the additional director-general of police, said: “The call for march by Chhatra Samaj has landed the students in trouble. We want to convey this message through the media that there will be adequate deployment of police on the streets. We will try to ensure that the examinees are not inconvenienced in any way. If any examinee faces any trouble, the person should get in touch with the police. We will help them reach the examination centres.”

He said special bus services are being arranged for the examinees from Sealdah and Howrah.

Additional director-general of police (law and order) Manoj Verma said the examinees can dial 100 or 112 if they face any trouble on their way to the exam centres.