NEET, JEE Main 2020: These states to provide free travel, accommodation for candidates

Due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and flood-like situation across the country, some Indian states have decided to provide free travel and accommodation to JEE-NEET candidates so that they won't have to miss out on their exams due to lack of resources.

The National Testing Agency is scheduled to conduct the NEET on Septemeber 13 and JEE examinations between September 1-6.

The Madhya Pradesh government will arrange free transport for candidates appearing for JEE and NEET examinations, announced Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday.

"Government of Madhya Pradesh is arranging free-of-cost transport facility for students appearing for JEE/NEET exams. Arrangements will be done from block HQ (headquarters) and district HQ of exam centres. Examinees can call at 181 or can apply by clicking on http://mapit.Gov.In/covid-19 from August 31," Chouhan said in a tweet.

Government of Madhya Pradesh is arranging free-of-cost transport facility for students appearing in JEE/NEET exam. Arrangements will be done from Block HQ & District HQ of exam centre. Examinees can call at 181 or can apply by clicking on https://t.co/gFyNJAUyqh from August 31.

— Office of Shivraj (@OfficeofSSC) August 30, 2020

In different tweets, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said the free two-way transportation facility will be provided to students taking the exams to ensure that they do not face any problem due to coronavirus.

This facility can also be availed by one of the associates of the candidates, it said.

Students seeking free travel will have to register themselves on helpline 181 or on the e-pass portal of the state government, the CMO said.

The Odisha government has also decided to provide free transportation and accommodation to the applicants of Joint Entrance Exams (JEE) and the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) in the state, said Asit Tripathy, State Chief Secretary.

Tripathy informed that a total of 37,000 students will be appearing for the JEE mains examination and for that, a total of 26 exam centres have been set up in 7 cities.

10 candidates and their guardians of Rayagada district are leaving today for Berhampur and Bhubaneswar for JEE Main Exam 2020 in a bus provided by Govt of Odisha being flagged off by ADM, Rayagada. The exam is scheduled to be held from 1.9.2020 to 4.9.2020#OdishaCaresForStudents pic.twitter.com/fV44LxcBCu

— Collector, Rayagada (@RayagadaO) August 30, 2020

As per the directions by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the students who are appearing for the examination and need transportation and accommodation will be provided with the same facilities free of cost by the state government.

"The district administrations have been advised to facilitate the movement of candidates and their parents without any hindrance due to the lockdown and shutdown," he said.

Speaking about the hotels in the state, Odisha Chief Secretary said: "At present hotels are not functional due to COVID-19, therefore, Chief Minister has ordered that engineering college hostels/ITIs will be opened and they will provide free accommodation to the NEET and JEE applicants.

"The Chief Minister has also directed for the opening of nodal centres in every district to help the students and their parents. The candidates have to inform the nodal centres regarding their transport and accommodation requirements," he added.

Recently, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written to the Union HRD Minister and spoken to the Prime Minister for postponing the NEET and JEE (mains) examination.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has also given instructions to all District Collectors to make arrangements for transportation of candidates for JEE and NEET exams to their examination centres and bringing them back.

Baghel, in the instructions issued to the district collectors, said that the arrangements for buses, mini-buses, jeeps, etc should be ensured on the basis of the number of candidates appearing for the examination.

He has instructed all the District Collectors to appoint District Nodal Officers for this purpose and coordinate with Regional Transport Office (RTO) and District Transport Office (DTO) in this regard.

The Chief Minister also said that the bus service is not operational due to the lockdown. Therefore, immediate arrangements for buses should be made through bus operators.

परीक्षा में शामिल हो रही छात्राओं के साथ उनके एक अभिभावक को भी यात्रा की अनुमति होगी, यात्रा निःशुल्क होगी और इसके लिए कोई राशि नहीं ली जाएगी। इसका व्यय राज्य शासन द्वारा वहन किया जाएगा।

— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) August 30, 2020

As the JEE exam will be conducted from September 1, buses will have to be run from August 31 for the candidates.

About 13,500 candidates will appear in this examination in the state. 5 centres have been set up for this examination in this regard.

Along with the girl students appearing in the examination, one of their parents will also be allowed to travel. The journey will be free and no amount will be charged for it. Its expenditure will be borne by the state government, said CM Baghel.

On Friday, the members of Congress party and its student wing - National Students' Union of India, had held protests across the country against the Centre's decision to conduct JEE and NEET in September and demanded the Centre to postpone the examinations in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Activists of Assam NSUI staged protest & organized "Chattra Satyagraha" in many districts against the decision of #AntiStudentModiGovt to hold JEE & NEET exams during the COVID-19 pandemic.#PostponeExams_Or_ResignModi pic.twitter.com/L6C9kXz3q9

— NSUI (@nsui) August 29, 2020

The protests against the decision were held across different states and Union Territories of the country including Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Odisha, and Gujarat.

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Thursday had said that the safety and future of the students was the topmost priority with regard to the conduction of the JEE and NEET amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that several steps including the increase in the number of exam centres had been taken.

(With inputs from agencies)