Around 85% candidates take KEAM entrance examination

Thiruvananthapuram: At least 85% candidates registered for the KEAM entrance examination appeared for the test held at 342 centres in the state, Delhi, Mumbai and the UAE. The examination, claimed authorities, went off smoothly barring isolated hiccups of negligible nature.
“No major issues were reported from anywhere as students, parents, officials and volunteers took extra care in holding the examination under strict vigil. On an average, at least 85% candidates have taken the test. While the turnout in Delhi and Mumbai were close to 50%, that of the UAE was 90%. There need not to be much worry about the slump in student participation in Delhi and Mumbai, considering the much serious Covid-19 situation prevalent there,” commissioner for entrance examination A Geetha told TOI.
The state government on Wednesday, after much discussions, had permitted three Covid-19 positive students —one from Kottayam and two from Alappuzha— to take the examination from the hospitals they were admitted to. However, by morning, the student from Kottayam decided not to attend the examination, but a fresh request came up from Pathanamthitta district. Arrangements were made for that candidate too. The student took the entrance testat Pathanathitta general hospital.
Sealed question paper packets of 20 booklets were handed over to the hospitals where the students took the examination under camera surveillance and nurses doubled up as invigilators. In sensitive places such as Poonthura, where the outbreak the disease has reached astronomical numbers in the last few weeks, special arrangements were made for students to appear for the test. PPE kit-wearing invigilators supervised the test.
The test was conducted braving demands for putting off the examination to a later date as the critics, students and their parents felt the conduct of the same in the thick of the pandemic spread might put in risk the health of over 1 lakh students and all those who are involved in the process.
2 take test at Alappuzha MCH
Two students attended KEAM 2020-21 from Alappuzha medical college hospital. Of them, one returned to Alappuzha from Kuwait a few weeks ago to appear for KEAM 2020-21. But three days ago, he tested positive for Covid-19 and was admitted to Alappuzha MCH.
The second student is undergoing treatment in Covid First Line Treatment Centre, (CFLTC) Kayamkulam. The students took the test in a specially-arranged room. MCH deputy superintendent A Abdul Salam and nursing officer Revamma made all the arrangements for the examination.