The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) will not be postponed and will be held as per schedule, the Centre has clarified.
JEE (Main) will be held from September 1 to 6 and NEET (UG) on September 13.
“We find that there is absolutely no justification in the prayer made for postponement of the examination in question relating to NEET UG-2020 as well as JEE (Main) April, 2020. In our opinion, though there is pandemic situation, but ultimately life has to go and the career of the students cannot be put on peril for long and full academic year cannot be wasted," a statement from the National Testing Agency (NTA) read.
The clarification comes in the wake of BJP MP Subramanian Swamy seeking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to postpone the entrance exams until after Diwali in view of the COVID-19 situation in the country.
The statement also referred to a recent ruling by the Supreme Curt which rejected pleas for postponement or cancellation of the exams. “…the examination is going to be held with due precaution and it is not going to be postponed. Thus, we find no merit in the writ petition,” the NTA said.
Noting that candidates have been given opportunity five times to change the centre city in view of the COVID-19 crisis, the statement said, "Now the National Testing Agency (NTA) has also released the Admit Cards for the JEE (Main) Examinations scheduled from 01-09-2020 to 06-09-2020. 649223 Candidates have downloaded their Admit Cards so far, against a total number 858273. NTA is happy to share with the JEE (Main) 2020 candidates that it has been able to offer the first choice of preference of centre cities to 99.07% of the candidates. 142 candidates have, subsequently requested for a change in their allotted centre city due to various reasons, and the NTA is considering these requests positively. "
"The NEET (UG)-2020 exam is now scheduled on 13-09-2020 and the total of 15,97,433 Candidates are registered for the same. The Admit Cards will be released shortly. Overall, 99.87% Candidates will be accommodated against their first preference of Centre City," the statement said.
The NTA clarified that elaborate arrangements have been made to santise centres before and after the exams and to provide fresh masks and hand gloves as per request.
"In order to solicit support of the states for maintaining law and order condition, power supply, facilitation of movement of candidates and exam functionaries, crowd management in front of exam centres, etc., the NTA has also written to the State Chief Secretaries, DGPs, and DMs/ SPs of the concerned cities. They have also been informed about the Advisory regarding COVID-19 for All Functionaries, and their support has been solicited," it stated.
