Centre sets up committee to assess feasibility of conducting NEET/JEE exams

Guwahati: Romesh Pokhriyal Nishank who is the Union HRD Minister, in an announcement today has declared that a committee, with DG National Testing Agency (NTA) and other experts as its members, has been set up to assess the situation of the pandemic and the safety of conducting examinations under the circumstances.

The committee has to submit its recommendations by tomorrow after deliberating over when the much-awaited NEET/JEE examinations can take place following which the final announcement shall be made.

Nishank said, "Looking at the prevailing circumstances and requests received from students & parents appearing for JEE and NEEET examinations, a committee consisting of officials from the National Testing Agency (NTA) and other experts has been advised to review the situation and submit its recommendations latest by tomorrow."

Due to lockdown, the exams were postponed, which resulted in the scheduling medical entrance exam NEET on July 26, and the engineering entrance exam JEE from July 18-23.

The Minister pointed out how he has been receiving requests and representations from students taking the JEE and NEET examinations through social media, emails, and various platforms of the HRD Ministry, that considering the present circumstances, the examinations should be postponed a little further.

Taking into account these requests, the Minister has probed the DG NTA and his team to look into the matter and take into account all factors of the situation and report back to him tomorrow. He further asserted that the Department's priority is the safety of the students who will be taking the examinations.

The postponement of JEE Main will also push back the dates of JEE Advanced as candidates aspiring for JEE Advanced will first have to clear the JEE Mains.

Meanwhile, students across the country have been protesting against the holding of exams at this point in time and there has been increasing demand that the NEET and JEE exams should be postponed.