Ministry seeks expert panel view on competitive exams

NEW DELHI: The human resource development (HRD) ministry has sought a report from a panel of experts headed by National Testing Agency (NTA) chief Vineet Joshi on whether the situation is conducive for holding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical and dental colleges and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admission to engineering courses in the second half of July.

There has been a lot of concern among the parents of aspirants to these courses on whether the tests can be conducted safely amid the Covid-19 outbreak, which prompted the ministry to explore whether there is a need to postpone them.

“Looking at the prevailing circumstances and requests received from students and parents appearing for JEE and NEET examinations, a committee comprising the DG {director general} NTA and other experts has been advised to review the situation and submit its recommendations to the HRD ministry latest by tomorrow.” HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said on Thursday.

Significantly, the decision comes at a time when the University Grants Commission (UGC) is also planning to have a relook at the University exams and the academic calendar. The UGC is expected to take a call on a report by a panel led by the Central University of Haryana vice-chancellor, RC Kuhad, soon. There have been protests against the mode of exams in several varsities including DU.

CBSE‘S decision to not hold the Class 10 and 12 board exams and the HRD ministry asking the UGC to have a relook at the academic calendar has focused everyone’s attention on the two major competitive examinations that are scheduled next month – NEET and JEE.

Both tests are scheduled in the latter half of July and are conducted by the NTA ; hundreds of thousands of students take them annually.

JEE will be held from July 18-23, while the medical entrance test NEET will be conducted on July 26, the minister had earlier announced. The two crucial exams, and also the Class 10 and Class 12 exams were postponed because of the lockdown imposed to combat the spread of Covid-19.

Last month, Nishank also announced that the Central Teachers Eligibility Test was being postponed because of Covid-19.

Eminent educationist Dr Inder Mohan Kapahy said holding the JEE or NEET exams is challenging task at any given time but more so when a pandemic is raging. “The HRD ministry will have to take a decision keeping all aspects in mind and forming an expert group seems to be the right approach,” said Kapahy.

THERE IS CONCERN AMONG PARENTS OF ASPIRANTS IF THE JEE AND NEET CAN BE HELD SAFELY AMID THE ONGOING PANDEMIC