2.5 K students to appear for NEET exam today

Ludhiana: Around 2,566 students will be appearing for NEET exam on Sunday afternoon to be held at three centres in the district. Students have been told to reach the centre at 11am while the exam will kick start at 2pm and continue for three hours. As many as 960 students will sit at SGND Convent School, Andlu; 646 students will appear at Amrit Indo Canadian Academy, Ladian Khurd, Bagga Khurd, and 960 students will take the exam at Guru Nanak Model Senior Secondary School, Doraha.
Elanchezhian Jayabalan, joint police commissioner, said, “There is one centre in Ludhiana police commissionerate and there will be adequate arrangement for facilitating the visitors and parking of vehicles. Over 40-50 police officials will be there for the smooth functioning of the exam conduct and to maintain law and order.”
Paramjeet Kaur, principal, BCM Arya School and coordinator of NEET, Ludhiana said, “Preparations are in full swing and we are taking all precautions. We have tried to have centres out of the city so that they do not fall under any containment zone. Students will be seated on alternate seats. Adequate arrangements have also been made inside and outside the examination centres to enable candidates stand while maintaining adequate social distancing.”
Ravleen Pannu, 19-year-old from DAV Public School, Pakhowal, who will be appearing for NEET exam, said , “My centre is near Andlu, which is almost 30 km away. In Ludhiana city the centres have doubled as compared to last year. All these guidelines do sound promising if they are carried out meticulously by the cooperation of the aspirants. The atmosphere in general has been tense for the past few months, so it has been a bit challenging to keep the positive momentum going amid the terrifying news. I try to meditate every time I feel anxious about the exam. I remind myself of the final destination and keep going. Use of thermo guns for temperature check, slots to allow only small queues to move in at once with proper distancing, alternate seating and ensuring that the staff is uninfected, all of this seems to address the main concerns that the aspirants will be having.”
Vanshaj Goel, 18-year-old who will also be appearing for NEET, said, “I am a student of DAV Public School and I have secured 98.4% XII in medical stream. My centre is at Guru Nanak School, Doraha. It would be tough for students reporting at 11am while the exam will kick start at 2pm with masks and gloves and constant fear of Covid-19, but still the exam must be conducted. I really don’t know whether that area is a containment zone or not. The authorities must ensure social distancing and proper sanitisation. The students from containment zones should be recognised and made to sit separately to avoid any spread of the disease.”
Ritvik Gupta, 18-year-old from Delhi Public School, who will be appearing for NEET on September 13, said “I have secured 96% in Class XII and I have received my centre details, which is Amrit Indo-Canadian Academy, and I have to report at 11.30am. The issue here is also regarding the mental health of all the students who have been studying for the past years and who have not taken a break from studying even in these Covid times. I am studying for around 8 to 10 hours daily and giving tests of NTA and other institutes, but now I am fed up with the studies due to prolonged sessions. It is difficult to concentrate on studies in these times of uncertainty.”