JEE Main, NEET to be held as per schedule in September

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE Main) and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) as per schedule in September. Though there were requests from students and from other sections to postpone the examinations due to COVID-19 pandemic but NTA on Friday cleared that the engineering and medical undergraduate entrance exams will be conducted following the Supreme Court order.

“In our opinion, though there is pandemic situation, but ultimately life has to go and the career of the students cannot be put on peril for long and full academic year cannot be wasted…the examination is going to be held with due precaution and it is not going to be postponed. Thus, we find no merit in the writ petition”, NTA release mentioned citing court’s order.

Considering the pandemic situation, the NTA provided option to candidates of JEE (Main) to change their centre cities five times, and 63931 candidates availed the same. Similarly, in NEET (UG), the option to candidates to change their centre cities was given five times, and about 95,000 candidates availed the same. Out of the total of 15,97,433 candidates, 99.87 per cent candidates are being given the first choice of their preferences of city, the NTA release mentioned.

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking postponement of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), scheduled to be held in September 2020. It said the postponement will put students’ career in peril. “Career of students cannot be put under jeopardy for long,” the court said, adding that it has taken note of assurance by authorities that the exams will be held with adequate precautions.

Over 9 lakh had applied to appear for JEE Main while nearly 16 lakh registered for NEET. The number of exam centres, claims NTA, have also been increased by almost double to ensure safety of students.