NEW DELHI: Engineering course aspirants will get two, instead of four, attempts to appear for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE-Main) this year, as the National Testing Agency (NTA) h as decided to conduct the entrance test only in April and May. The m inistry of education had decided to increase the number of attempts to four from 2021 onwards.
As per the initia l discussion between officials of MoE and ministry of health, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET-UG will be conducted between the third week of June and first week of July. Ar ound 26 lakh engineering, medical and allied programme aspirants took these tests in 2021.
JEE (Main), the multi-session computer-based test, is taken by students for getting admission in top engineering institutions as well as securing eligibility to appear for the JEE (Advanced), the entrance test for the Indian Institutes of Technology.
The number of attempts allowed to a student was increased from one to two in 2019 and to four from 2021 and some of the results show how aspirants significantly benefited from taking multiple shots at a high-pressure exam. The best of the four attempts was considered the candidate’s final score in 2021.
The official said the primary reason for offering four attempts last year was due to Covid-19. “Situation was different due to the second wave. However, things have improved and based on the current situation it has been decided that two attempts would be as beneficial. The registration will start by the end of this mon
th. ” Another reason, sources said, is that due to the delay in most exams, including the class XII Board exams, the window for entrance has shrunk if admissions are to be conducted on time this year. The CBSE class XII exams are to commence from April 26, while the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations will conduct exams from the last week of April.