NTA conducts 72 entrances, govt tells Lok Sabha
Premium- The exams conducted since December 2018 included NEET (UG), JEE (Main), UGC-NET and JNU entrance
NEW DELHI : Set up as a dedicated exam conducting body, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has already delivered 72 entrances across varsity, institution and science labs, the Union education ministry informed the parliament on Monday.
“NTA has successfully conducted 72 examinations—computer and internet based (68); pen-and-paper based (4)—since December 2018, which includes exams such as NEET (UG), JEE (Main), UGC-NET, JNU entrance exam, Delhi University Entrance, ICAR-AIEE, IGNOU, CSIR-NET & AISSEE, etc," education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in a written reply.
The education ministry said NTA has created a network of test practice centres (TPCs), for candidates, especially in remote and rural areas, to enable them to practice the previous years’ question papers through mock tests and be comfortable in taking a computer-based test (CBT).
This facility is completely free of cost. Candidates can register online, and are assigned to a TPC near their location, where they can conveniently practice on a given computer node.
The TPCs are not functioning now owing to the ongoing pandemic, and their reopening is subject to the improvement in the current pandemic situation.
Pradhan said NTA has launched a mobile app called ‘National Test Abhyas’ to enable candidates to take mock tests for JEE (Main) and NEET (UG) and students can use this app to access test practice free of cost.
“To ensure test security and curb malpractices due to technological advancement, NTA has adopted various measures, which includes CCTV surveillance, installation of network jammers, signal silencers at exam centres, orientation programme for test developers, subject experts and exam functionaries," the ministry said.
It claimed that NTA is a self-sustained organization and the fees charged from the candidates are kept low for meeting the input costs and administrative costs only.
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