Frontlist News | NTA taking safety precautions, optional exam centres given to students: Ramesh Pokhriyal

Frontlist News | NTA taking safety precautions, optional exam centres given to students: Ramesh Pokhriyal
on Aug 26, 2020

NTA DG Vineet Joshi and Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal have assured that the NEET-JEE exams will be conducted taking all safety precautions.

Amid an ongoing protest, a top Education Ministry source said that there would be no rethinking on Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) and that students do want to appear for exams. Sources confirm the India Today that there is no change in the existing schedule of the controversial NEET and JEE exam as the National Testing Agency (NTA) has released Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the safety of the students and staff to be presented at the examination centre. As per Human Resource Department officials, more than four lakh NEET applicants have downloaded their admit cards within three hours today. The number of centres has been increased for students who have raised an issue of commutation and distance. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released a statement asking states to assist such students. The HRD Minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal has informed that from 8.58 lakh students who have applied for the JEE-NEET exam, around 85% of them have already downloaded their admit cards. For us, the safety of the students is more important which is why the NTA has given optional exam centres to students to avoid any communication or travel hurdles, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said, We have made such arrangements that there will be around 100 to 150 students in every exam centre.   He further informed, Only 400 odd students' requests are pending, which will be resolved soon. Earlier parents and students themselves were sending us letters and requests to announce the dates to avoid confusion or suspense, he said. JEE-MAIN will take place from September 1-6, while NEET (UG) will be conducted on September 13. The NTA conducts entrance examinations for higher educational institutions. The number of candidates who have registered for the engineering entrance JEE (Main) is 8.58 lakh, while for medical entrance NEET 15.97 lakh candidates have registered. So far, India has reported 31,67,323 coronavirus cases and 58,390 deaths, according to the data released by the Union Health Ministry. The NTA has also released a set of safety guidelines for the exams, which include thermal scanning and staggered entry of students into centres. Students will also have to wear masks and carry hand sanitizers.

What NTA has to say:

We have increased the exam centers and number of invigilators this time accordingly Last year, if we have 2546 centers, this year that figure goes up to 3842 centers In one classroom instead of 25 students, now we’ll have 12 students Even SC has said that we should not waste a year We have also started an online ABHYAS app for coaching purposes Till now, more than 16 lakh students have downloaded the app and we have done 100 tests through this app For JEE exams, we have made odd-even system for the students

SOPs FOR NEET-JEE 2020

Candidates need to maintain social distancing Seating plan to maintain social distancing Staggered slots for candidates reporting at exam centres.

List of items permitted inside NEET-JEE exam centres

Gloves and masks for all staffers on examination duty Gloves and masks for candidates in case they don’t come with their own Hand sanitiser at entry and inside exam centres.

SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Spray bottles, sponges/clothes for disinfecting desks/tables/door handles Spray entire exam centers floors, walls, doors, gates with a disinfectant backpack Staff verification and self-declaration for exam functionaries Thermo gun for temperature reading at the entrance Separate lines for boys and girls (up to 20 boys/ 20 girls) Body frisking will not be done Frisking by long-handle metal detectors mandatory for all candidates.