New Delhi: Medical Entrance Examination Neet will be held on Sunday in the midst of severe precaution in the wake of the Covid-19 Pandemic, which is expected to involve more than 1.5 million students. This information has been given by the National Examination Agency (NTA) officials. The NTA has increased the number of examination centers from 2546 centers to 3843 centers under the original scheme to maintain social distance, while the number of candidates in each room has been reduced from the predetermined number of 24 to 12.
The National Entrance Cum Eligibility Test (NEET) is a pen and paper-based examination, whereas the Engineering Entrance Exam JEE Mains was not like this. NEET has been avoided twice before due to the spread of corona virus. Originally this examination was to be held on 3 May and then later it was further extended for 26 July. Now this exam is scheduled on 13 September. 15.97 lakh students have registered for NEET exam.
A senior NTA official said, “After the examination hall, separate arrangements for entry and exit have been planned to ensure social distance. Adequate arrangements have been made for students waiting outside the examination centers to stand in queue while maintaining social distance. “
The official said that advisories have been issued to guide the candidates in which information about ‘what to do’ and ‘what not to do’ is maintained to maintain appropriate social distance. He said, “We have also written to the State Governments regarding the help of students at the local level so that the students can reach the examination center on time. “
In order to comply with Covid-19 restrictions and social distance, the examination agency has also changed the centers of some students this week although the examination city of any candidate has not been changed. The sanitizer will be available at all times within the entrance of the examination center and inside the examination hall and instead of checking the exam admit card by hand, it was made with bar code. With this, a small number of candidates and separate entry and exit arrangements have been made in the class.
“Candidates were asked to come to the center with masks and sanitizers,” the official said. Once they enter the center, they have to use the mask provided by the examination authority. “He told that every candidate will be provided with a three-level mask at the time of admission and they are expected to wear it while taking the exam.” “
Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh have assured the students to make arrangements for students to come and IIT alumni and group of students have introduced a portal to provide transport facility for the examination center. Kolkata Metro Railway has planned to provide special service on 13 September for students giving NEET.
In view of the increase in the case of Covid-19, one class has been demanding suspension of NEET. Earlier, the Supreme Court had rejected the petition for postponement of the examination, saying that a valuable year of students cannot be wasted.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, DMK leader MK Stalin, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manisha Sisodia Neet and JEE have been demanding postponement of the exam.
