JEE Main entrance exam begins today amid strict COVID-19 precautions

The National Testing Agency (NTA), which is in-charge of conducting competitive entrance tests across the country, last week announced several guidelines that are needed to be followed for hosing the crucial annual academic entrance examination.

Apart from carrying their own water bottles and hand sanitizers, students were also directed to maintain certain guidelines like wearing face masks, gloves, maintain social distancing, among others.

The JEE will be held between Sept 1 and Sept 6.

The National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) exam conducted for admission in medical courses will be held on Sept 13.

 Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal wished candidates via a video post.

   Several opposition parties, including the Congress, had launched a countrywide protest against the conduction of JEE and NEET.  

More than 150 academicians had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi supporting the decision to go ahead with holding the JEE, NEET, and not play with the future of students for their political agenda.

 Stating that it "wholeheartedly welcomes" the government's move to hold the exams in September, the letter cites the Supreme Court order dismissing a petition to postpone these exams saying that any further delay in conducting the tests would result in waste of precious years for students.

The letter has been signed by professors from Delhi University, IGNOU, Lucknow University, BHU, IIT Delhi, University of London, University of California, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Ben Gurion University, Israel, among others.