The National Testing Agency on Tuesday refused to change the schedule of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test and the Joint Entrance Examination amid criticism from Opposition leaders and students due to the coronavirus pandemic. The NEET and JEE examinations for admission to undergraduate medical and engineering courses will be held as per schedule next month.

In a statement, the agency cited last week’s Supreme Court order that dismissed the plea of students to postpone the exams. The top court had said that a crucial year of students “cannot be wasted” and life has to go on.

JEE will be conducted from September 1 to 6, while NEET will be held on September 13. Nearly 8.58 lakh and 15.97 lakh candidates have registered for the JEE (Main) and NEET examinations respectively.

The National Testing Agency added that adequate arrangements for physical distancing have been made in the examinations centres. After concerns were raised, the number of examination centres have been increased from 570 to 660 in case of JEE exams and from 2,546 to 3,843 for NEET, the agency said.

“In order to ensure proper social distancing inside the examination halls, the candidates will be seated in alternate seats in case of JEE (Main),” the statement said. “In case of NEET (UG), the number of candidates per room has been reduced from earlier 24 to 12...NTA has also written to the state governments to extend support in local movement of the candidates so that they are able to reach their examination centres on time.”

Guidelines for appearing in exams

Students will have to compulsorily wear face mask, hand gloves and carry a personal water bottle and hand sanitiser to the exam centre, an advisory said, according to NDTV.

The entry to the exam centre will be staggered and there will be thermal scanning. All exam centres will also have “isolation rooms” for those candidates whose body temperature is above 99.4 degrees fahrenheit.

Their admit card will have detailed instructions on maintaining physical distancing guidelines, the NTA said. The agency has also clarified that that almost all candidates have been provided their first choice of centres.

Earlier in the day, climate activist Greta Thunberg said that it was “deeply unfair” that Indian students had been asked to appear for exams amid the pandemic. “I stand with their call to #PostponeJEE_NEETinCOVID,” she tweeted.