University Grants Commission declares tentative schedule of competitive exams

Pune: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has declared the tentative schedule of competitive exams – National Eligibility Test (NET), Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Main, National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET), Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) and Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT). 

For the first time, JEE (Main) and NEET (UG) will be held online and twice before admissions in the next academic session. 

National Testing Agency (NTA) will be conducting these exams from here onwards. The Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) and UGC authorities have stated that it will ensure that there are no leakages and other malpractices.

“This will give more chances to students, thereby, giving adequate opportunity to bring out his/her best and reducing stress which develops due to single exam conducted on one single day in the year. However, sitting in both the tests will not be compulsory. The two tests each for JEE (Main) & NEET (UG) will be equated using psychometric methods, standardisation techniques and best of the equated scores will be used for the admissions,” said the authorities.

All the tests UGC- NET, JEE (Main) and NEET (UG) will be conducted in multiple sittings and a candidate will have an option of dates to choose from. Scores of different candidates in multiple sittings will also be equated using standardisation techniques. 

NTA will also establish a network of test practice centres for students of rural areas so that everyone will have an opportunity to practice before the exam. Schools/engineering colleges with computer centres would be identified and kept open on Saturday/Sunday starting from the third week of August. Any student can use the facility free of charge.