New Delhi: The Union government does not have any plans to suspend NEET and other common entrance examinations, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Postgraduate) and NEET (Undergraduate) 2021 examinations are scheduled to be held this year on September 11 and 12, respectively, she said in a written reply.
The examination shall be conducted with all due precautions and following all protocols, including maintaining Covid-appropriate behaviour, Pawar said.
Further, additional protective measures for candidates and examination personnel are proposed towards the safe conduct of the exam, she stated.
The number of examination centres has been increased across the country to avoid crowding and long travel by candidates. Admit cards being issued to candidates will bear a Covid e-pass for facilitating their easy movement and there will be staggered entry and exit of candidates from exam centres, the minister said.
All candidates will be checked at the entry point to record their temperature. Candidates detected with above normal temperature will be allowed to take the examination in a separate isolation lab, created for this purpose, Pawar informed.
Use of masks shall be compulsory for the candidates and they will be provided with protective gear, a safety kit comprising a face shield, a mask and a hand sanitiser, the minister said, adding that measures will be taken to control the crowd outside examination centres.
The domain of exams in respect of arts and science lies with the concerned universities or states.