JEE Main 2020: Students say COVID-19 safety protocols maintained at exam centres

As Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main exams kicked off, on September 1, despite concerns of COVID-19 transmission, candidates appearing for exams in Delhi said that all safety protocols were strictly followed at the centres. Students at Delhi’s Arwachin Bharti Bhawan Senior Secondary School in Vivek Vihar said that social distancing measures, temperature checks, use of face mask and hand sanitisers were strictly followed at the examination centre.

“All the COVID-19 protocols have been maintained stringently. We were asked to sanitize our hands thrice. Sitting arrangements were also maintained observing proper social distancing,” Harleen Kaur, an aspirant, told ANI.

Deepesh Jain, one of the parents, reportedly said that postponing the exams can never be a solution to the pandemic, saying he was extremely worried about her daughter losing a year. Jain opined that observing all the safety norms meticulously is more important than postponing the examinations. 

Read: JEE Main 2020 Begins Across India With COVID-19 Measures At Exam Centres

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On August 31, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal extended good wishes to the students appearing for the examination. The number of students allowed in one exam hall has been reduced to 12 from 24 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Candidates were allowed to carry only transparent water bottles, admit card, original identity card, two passport size photographs, and hand sanitizers inside the examinations centres. 

Concerns over exams amid pandemic

JEE Main is scheduled to be held between September 1 to September 6 and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2020 is scheduled for September 13 as students continue to virtually protest against holding the exams amid pandemic. The ongoing health crisis across the country has led to travel constraints, exacerbated by floods in several states including Assam, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. 

A petition was filed in Supreme Court seeking postponement of the September NEET and JEE Main exams and urged to conduct it at a later date when the COVID pandemic issues subside in the country. The apex court dismissed the plea as Justice Arun Kumar Mishra observed that students cannot waste an entire year and the court cannot jeopardise their career.

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(With ANI inputs)