Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' on Thursday made it clear that there was no plan to cancel NEET 2021 and the Centre was considering allowing multiple attempts for JEE Main.
Interacting with students on social media, the minister said the syllabus for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2021 and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) 2021 would be the same as the previous year and the dates would be finalised after consultation with all the stakeholders.
Nishank said the government would positively examine the suggestion of the students for the JEE (Main) to be held four times a year from February-end and thereafter in March, April, May, with the option for considering the best of the four results for admission to technical courses.
On the board examination for Class 10 and 12, the minister said consultations were being held with all the stakeholders for conducting the examinations and dates would be announced soon based on the feedback.
He said directions would be issued to schools on conducting practical examinations for Class 10 and 12 in a manner that it does not clash with the competitive examinations. “In case students are not able to do practical in classes before the examinations alternatives to practical examinations will be explored,” the minister said.
He said the syllabus for JEE (Main)-2021 would remain the same as the previous year and a proposal was under examination where students will be given the choice to answer 75 questions – 25 questions each in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics) out of 90 questions – 30 in each subject.
The minister said for JEE (Main) 2020, there were 75 questions – 25 each in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, all of which had to be answered by the candidates.
Nishank said the education ministry was discussing with the Health Ministry and the National Medical Commission on the mode for conducting the NEET examination. Unlike JEE, the NEET is a pen and paper examination which is held offline.