COVID-19 lockdown: JEE-Mains to be held from July 18-23, NEET on July 26, says HRD minister

Engineering entrance examination JEE will be held from July 18-23, while medical entrance exam NEET will be conducted on July 26, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' announced on Tuesday.

The two crucial exams were postponed due to the lockdown imposed in the country to combat COVID-19.

"JEE-Mains will be held from July 18-23, while JEE-Advanced will be held in August. NEET will be conducted on July 26," Nishank said.

"A decision will soon be taken on the pending CBSE Class 10, 12 board exams," he added.

While the Joint Entrance Exam-Mains (JEE-MAINS) is conducted for admission to engineering colleges across the country, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is for admission to medical colleges.

More than 15 lakh students across the country have registered for NEET this year, whereas more than nine lakh have registered for JEE Mains, the entrance exam for all engineering colleges except the IITs.

The JEE-Mains is considered as a qualifying exam for JEE-Advanced.

The HRD Ministry's National Testing Agency (NTA) had also given students an option to change their opted centres for the two tests as many of them have moved to different places since the lockdown.

Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16, when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as one of the measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. Later, a nationwide lockdown was announced from March 25 which will last till May 17.