Candidates with high temperature allowed to take NEET exam: Official

After making arrangements for smooth conduct of the NEET examination, the Odisha government on Saturday made it clear that the candidates having high temperature and certain symptoms of Covid, but not tested positive, will be allowed to take the test.

This was decided at a review meeting here attended by District Magistrate of Khurda of which Bhubaneswar is a part, senior health department officials and NEET state nodal officer Polly Patnaik.

"Yes, the candidates having more than normal body temperature and symptoms of Covid, but not tested positive, will be allowed to appear the examination," Khurda DM S K Mohanty told PTI after the meeting.

The District Magistrate also made it clear that as per the guideline, the students who have tested positive for the infection will be given the opportunity to appear in the NEET examination on a later date, through a digital platform.

Asked how to deal with the candidates having Covid symptoms, Mohanty said: "Those students will be isolated and be provided seats in separate rooms. Maximum 12 students will be allotted a seat in a room keeping in view the physical distancing."

The DM said the invigilators attending the students having symptoms of Covid-19 will wear PPEs while performing examination duty.

Wearing face masks and using sanitizers is mandatory for each candidate. The medical teams have been deployed in the hostels in five engineering colleges where the candidates are staying.

This apart, the DM said local transport like auto- rickshaws and taxis have been put in place to bring the students to the examination centres.

All arrangements have been made for the NEET examination on Sunday across 7 Cities in 7 districts as per the guidelines of National Testing Agency (NTA) by the respective Collectors and Municipal Commissioners, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare P K Mohapatra said, adding that the "students are advised to appear the examination without any fear of Covid-19."

The state government has made elaborate arrangements to facilitate free transportation and accommodation for candidates appearing for the NEET examination on Sunday in 83 centres across seven cities in the state, an official said.

A total of 37,459 candidates will appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test in Odisha.

"The state government has made arrangements for free transportation and lodging facilities for candidates and their guardians," the NEET state nodal officer said.

State-run buses will be available to facilitate free movement of candidates and their guardians from different districts to the examination centres, she said.

The examinations will be conducted from 11 am to 5 pm in strict adherence to health safety protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease.

Patnaik said candidates will have to undergo thermal screening before entering the centres in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Angul, Berhampur, Rourkela, Balasore and Sambalpur.

The East Coast Railway will also run special trains for NEET aspirants, an official said.

"The trains will run from Khariar Road to Sambalpur via Titlagarh, Rayagada to Sambalpur, Bhadrak to Bhubaneswar via Cuttack and Keonjhar to Bhubaneswar via Cuttack," he said.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has arranged accommodation for NEET candidates and their parents at five engineering colleges here.