74% CANDIDATES APPEARED FOR JEE-MAINS

New Delhi, Sept. 10: At least

74 per cent candidates who had registered for JEE-Mains appeared for the exam last week amid strict precautions in view of Covid-19 even as the attendance figures dipped from 94.32 per cent in the January session.

The Joint Entrance Exam (JEE)-Main for admission to engineering colleges across the country, is conducted twice a year.

According to statistics available with the Ministry of Education, out of 8.58 lakh applicants, 6.35 lakh appeared for the engineering test from September 1 to 6. The exam was conducted after being deferred twice in view of the

COVID-19 pandemic. “JEE-Main is held twice a year. The previous one was held in January this year. Several students who did not appear for the exam in September may have done well in the January exam and hence did not feel the need to sit for the exam this time. We are ascertaining those numbers,” said Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in a tweet.

Last year, the attendance in the January and April edition of the exam was 94.11 per cent and 94.15 per cent respectively.

The crucial exam has been mired in controversy due to demand from a section of students and Opposition parties to postpone the exam in view of rising coronavirus cases.

“Any further delay of the exams would not have been in the interest of our students and their plans for college admissions. Our government has always been unwavering regarding student welfare & student safety,” Pokhriyal said.