Postponed twice, JEE exams get underway as Covid-19 cases continue to rise in India

A worker makes announcements on a loudspeaker as students begin to gather outside Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS), alloted to conduct JEE entrance exams, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, in Ranchi. Credit: PTI Photo

After widespread protests, the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admissions to top engineering colleges in the country began on Tuesday amid unprecedented physical distancing measures to prevent spread of Covid-19.

As many as 8.58 lakh students have applied for the examinations which had to be postponed twice in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Elaborate arrangements were made at 660 centres where students appeared in two shifts for the examinations, which had kicked up a political row over the government decision to go ahead with the process despite sharp increase in Covid-19 infections across the country.

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“JEE Exam was conducted smoothly all over the country. I would like to thank all the state governments and officials of the National Testing Agency for the smooth conduct of the examination,” Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare said.

Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had also reached out to chief ministers of several states urging them to help students and the conducting organisations in getting through the exams smoothly.

The JEE exams will be held over 12 shifts instead of eight and will continue till September 6.

Earlier, the National Testing Agency was planning to have 1.32 lakh candidates write the exams in one shift, but the number has now been reduced to 85,000.

Additionally, the agency has procured over 10 lakh masks and pairs of gloves which were being over to students when they enter the exam hall.

Sanitiser bottles were also be made available at all exam halls, and students have been asked to bring their own sanitiser bottles as well.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had dismissed a plea seeking postponement of the JEE and NEET exams, saying a “precious year” of students cannot be wasted and life has to go on.

Based on the results of the JEE-Mains Paper 1 and Paper 2, the top 2.45 lakh candidates will be eligible to appear for the JEE-Advanced exam, which is a one-stop exam to get admission into the 23 premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

JEE-Advanced is scheduled to take place on September 27.