Pending JEE Main 2021 exams likely to be held in July-end or August – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The government is planning to conduct the first of the two pending JEE (Main) in the last week of July or first week of August, followed by the second within 10 days. However, it is going to take a final call on NEET-UG on whether it will be conducted in August end or September after reviewing the Covid-19 situation across States/ UTs.

The ministry of education (MoE) in 2020 announced that the National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the engineering entrance test four times a year. However, after conducting the February and March exams, the computer-based test had to be postponed in April 2021 due to the second wave of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown. Over 6.2 lakh candidates appeared in February exams while 5.5 lakh candidates appeared in the March session of the exams.

The NEET-UG, the entrance exam for MBBS and dental courses as of now, had been scheduled for August 1, 2021. However, the registration is yet to commence as many parts of the country are still under lockdown.

According to Amit Khare, secretary, higher education, MoE, the ministry is looking at the period between the last week of July and first week of August to conduct the April edition of JEE (Main). Also there may not be a month gap between the two JEE (Main) this time due to the unprecedented times and so as not to create any further delay in the 2021-22 academic calendar.

“The JEE (Main) exam is likely to be conducted in July end or latest by the first week of August. The second pending JEE (main) is to be conducted within one week to 10 days,” said Khare.

The registration for the April edition of JEE (Main) has been completed before it was postponed. NTA could open the registration for the May edition of JEE (Main) in the month of July before conducting the April edition. As per the policy, the ranks of the candidates will be released taking into consideration the best of the four NTA scores.

According to the secretary, NEET-UG being a single-day pen-paper exam the situation has to be conducive and therefore a view will be taken soon after reviewing the number of Covid cases and the lockdown status in the States/ UTs.

“Last year NEET was conducted in September. The government will review the situation and if the situation is conducive it could be conducted in August end or beginning of September,” said Khare.

According to NTA sources, the registration for NEET-UG is likely to start by June-end.