No plans to suspend NEET, other common entrance exams, Lok Sabha told

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 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, the additional protective measures for candidates and examination personnel are proposed towards the safe conduct of the exam, she stated.

The number of examination centers have 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 centers, the minister said.

All candidates will be checked at entry point for recording of 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 mask shall be compulsory for the candidates and they will be provided with a protective gear safety kit comprising a face shield, a mask and hand sanitizer, the minister said, adding that measures will be taken to control crowd outside examination centers.

The domain of exams in respect of arts and science lies with the concerned universities or states.