JEE, NEET 2021 exams: NTA to take decision on exam dates after reviewing COVID-19 situation

Now that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and several state boards have cancelled the class 12 board exams 2021 amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, students who are to take the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) (Main) exams are awaiting the National Testing Agency (NTA)'s decision on the dates to conduct the examinations.

It is pertinent to note that the NEET and JEE exams are necessary as they facilitate admissions to the top medical and engineering institutes of the country and decision-makers are trying to figure out a conducive time to conduct these examinations.

The NTA will hold a review meeting to take a decision on the medical entrance and engineering entrance exam dates.

A senior government official as saying by India Today, “The government is aware that the entrance examinations need to be conducted. Unlike the board exams, they cannot be cancelled because college seats are filled up on a competitive test basis. “ He further added, “However, it is not right to put a timeline as to when the exams will be held as this may lead to undue anxiety among participants. The Covid-19 situation is being closely studied.”

The JEE and NEET exams were conducted despite the challenges posed by the pandemic last year and it is highly unlikely that the entrance exams will be cancelled this year. 

Earlier, it was announced by Union Education Ministry that any final announcement on NEET 2021 entrance exam dates will be made only after the review of the COVID-19 situation in the country. JEE Main 2021 Examination dates would be released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for both sessions at least 15 days before the exam.

The Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Mains is being conducted four times a year from this session onwards to offer flexibility to students and a chance to improve their scores. The first phase in February was followed by the second in March.

JEE Advanced, which is the entrance exam to the IITs, has been postponed.  Earlier, the exam was scheduled to be held on July 3 the revised dates are yet to be announced. 

Sources said that the NEET 2021 students can expect the announcement in the next two weeks. It is learned that the Union Education Ministry would hold a high-level meeting with the Vice-Chancellors of various universities to hold discussions over the dates of CUCET 2021, JEE 2021 and NEET 2021 entrance exams.

Meanwhile, a high-level committee of the Madras High Court will analyse the impact of NEET on aspirants from the socially disadvantaged sections in medical admissions, the Tamil Nadu government said on Thursday (June 10).

The panel led by retired judge AK Rajan would study the data related to medical admissions in the state and make necessary recommendations within a month to safeguard the interests of students from the backward sections, the state government added.