JEE, NEET 2021 exam dates: Here’s what Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has to say

Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Thursday said that students preparing for JEE and NEET exams would be allowed more time if the situation does not improve in the near future. The education minister said this during a live interaction with students, parents, and teachers. Pokhriyal said that they took decisions based on the situation in the past and the same will be done in the coming days. Replying to a question during the live session, he said that students may be allowed multiple attempts for JEE, NEET 2021 based on the situation.

Stressing that National Eligibility cum Entrance Test or NEET exams will not be cancelled, he said that the ministry was considering conducting online exams. The minister had announced a live interaction with stakeholders to clear their doubts and confusion regarding the upcoming entrance and board exams.

When asked to comment on conducting JEE and NEET exams more than twice a year, the minister said that several students have been demanding this and a decision will be taken after discussing it with stakeholders. He said this while replying to a student who requested him to reduce the syllabus of competitive exams by at least 10 per cent and postpone the exams considering the pandemic.

Pokhriyal has already asked the National Testing Agency (NTA) to keep state boards in the loop before finalising the syllabus for entrance exams. The Central Board of Secondary Education has already reduced its syllabus by 30 per cent and has decided that most of the entrance exams will be based on the syllabus of class 11 and 12. This year there have not been any physical classes yet and students have been demanding syllabus cuts for entrance exams. Several boards have already made announcement in this year.