NEET, JEE Mains may be impacted

NEW DELHI: The cancellation of remaining Central Board of School Education (CBSE) Class 12 exams and the Union Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry’s decision to ask the University Grants Commission (UGC) to have a relook at its academic calendar have implications on the two major competitive examinations scheduled for next month — the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE).

NEET for admissions to undergraduate medical and dental courses and JEE Mains for admissions to engineering colleges are scheduled between July 18 and 26. Tens of thousands of students take the tests that the National Testing Agency conducts.

An official said the HRD ministry will take a decision on the competitive exams based on the ground situation. “...the Supreme Court’s direction is still to come. Moreover, the exams were scheduled after the CBSE exams. The situation is challenging. Naturally, a decision on whether to conduct or postpone will be taken but in a few days,” the officials said on condition of anonymity.

Admissions to various courses are determined by the percentage of marks secured in CBSE Class 12 exams.

HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Thursday announced the cancellation of the Central Teachers Eligibility Test because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pandemic has disrupted the academic session. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay on Thursday said it would conduct only online classes this year. Other IITs are also expected to follow suit.

Nishank on Wednesday asked UGC to revisit its guidelines on conducting exams and the next academic calendar.

The suggestion came even as the RC Kuhad panel set up to look into the issues related to examinations and the academic calendar in view of the pandemic has recommended that the exams be cancelled.

The panel has suggested that the students be allotted marks according to an appropriate “averaging” formula.