Application fee collected for NEET 2019 ranges somewhere between Rs 113 crore to Rs 212 crore (Representational image)

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has collected over Rs 1.38 crore as answer key objection raising fee in 2019. This amount has been collected through Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in 2019. NTA is responsible for several other exams including DU and JNU entrance exams, UGC NET among others. Of the total fee, Rs 77,55,000 were collected from JEE Main and Rs 61,22,000 from NEET.

The NTA charges Rs 1,000 as a fee for raising one objection in each of the exams. As per the data collected by the indianexpress.com through an RTI, a total of 7,755 challenges were received against JEE (Main) 2019. This includes both January and April sessions. In NEET UG 2019, a total of 6,122 challenges were received by the exam conducting body.

Based on the fee charges of Rs 1000 per question, an estimated total of Rs 77.55 lakh was collected through JEE Main objections and Rs 61.22 lakh through NEET 2019. A total of Rs 1,38,77,000 was collected as an answer fee collection fee from both the exams. This is in addition to the application fee for these exams.

For NEET 2019, a total of 15,19375 candidates had registered. The fee of Rs 1400 is applicable for unreserved and Rs 750 for reserved category candidates. Thus the fee collected as application for NEET 2019 ranges somewhere between Rs 113 crore to Rs 212 crore (Rs 1,13,95,31,250 to Rs 2,12,71,25,000).

Similarly, for the JEE Main 2019, as many as 18,65,063 candidates registered, including both January and April sessions, as informed by the NTA under the RTI. The application fee collected through JEE Main 2019 would be in the range of Rs 4,662 crore to Rs 9,325 crore (Rs 46,62,65,750 to Rs 93,25,31,500). This is excluding the candidates who have applied for both exams and foreign nationals. For JEE Main 2020 January session, 934608 candidates had applied.

The fee collected from females and reserved category candidates is Rs 250 and for unreserved category males (including OBC-creamy layer) the fee is Rs 500. For foreign candidates the fees is Rs 2000 for males and Rs 1000 for females. Candidates also apply for two exams and on doing so the fee for reserved category and females becomes Rs 450 and fro unreserved category males the same is Rs 900. For foreign candidates, the fee is Rs 1500 for females and reserved category candidates and Rs 300 for males.