BackGovt postpones JEE, NEET exams to Sept due to surge in covid-19 cases
While the JEE (Main) exam will be held from 1 to 6 September, NEET is scheduled to be held on 13 September
PremiumNEW DELHI : The Centre postponed the two-tier Joint Entrance Exam (JEE), and the National Eligibility-cum- Entrance Test (NEET) to September due to the surge in covid-19 cases.
According to the revised schedule, the JEE (Main) exam will be held from 1 to 6 September, while the JEE (Advanced) exams will be held on 27 September. NEET is scheduled for 13 September.
While JEE (Main) and NEET exams, for admissions to engineering and medical colleges, respectively, were to take place in July, JEE (Advanced), for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), was due in August. “Considering the safety of students and to ensure quality education, we have decided to postpone JEE and NEET," human resource development minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said.
“In view of the current situation arising from the covid-19 pandemic, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has decided that the JEE (Main) 2020 will now be held in (1- 6) September from 09.00amto 12.00 noon in the first shift and from 3pm. to 6pm the second shift," NTA said.
The agency said it will allow aspirants to modify the applications, including changes in the city or exam centres, if required. “The NTA will make efforts to allot city of examination to the candidates in order of the choices now opted by them in their application forms, subject to the availability of capacity in the desired city. However, due to administrative reasons, a different city may be allotted, and the decision of the NTA regarding allotment of Centre City shall be final," it added.
The surge in covid-19 cases had also prompted the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to cancel the Class X exams, while for Class XII, the remaining papers for the year were made optional.
Earlier in the day, a government official had said, requesting anonymity, that the government was considering two issues: one, can these exams be held both online and off-line largely from a home setting? Two, can all students have the facility to take a time-bound, high-stake entrance without any difficulty in access to required gadgets, uninterrupted electricity and high-speed internet, the official had explained. Dates for JEE and NEET were being rescheduled for the second time since the covid-19-led lockdown.
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