<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-news-live-updates-india-world-coronavirus-vaccine-karnataka-maharashtra-tamil-nadu-delhi-kerala-gujarat-west-bengal-bangalore-mumbai-new-delhi-chennai-kolkata-cases-deaths-recoveries-876781.html">Follow live updates on the Covid-19 pandemic here</a></strong></p>.<p>“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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>The JEE exams will be held over 12 shifts instead of eight and will continue till September 6.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>Sanitiser bottles were also be made available at all exam halls, and students have been asked to bring their own sanitiser bottles as well.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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).</p>.<p>JEE-Advanced is scheduled to take place on September 27.</p>
<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-news-live-updates-india-world-coronavirus-vaccine-karnataka-maharashtra-tamil-nadu-delhi-kerala-gujarat-west-bengal-bangalore-mumbai-new-delhi-chennai-kolkata-cases-deaths-recoveries-876781.html">Follow live updates on the Covid-19 pandemic here</a></strong></p>.<p>“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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>The JEE exams will be held over 12 shifts instead of eight and will continue till September 6.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>Sanitiser bottles were also be made available at all exam halls, and students have been asked to bring their own sanitiser bottles as well.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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).</p>.<p>JEE-Advanced is scheduled to take place on September 27.</p>
