NEET 2020: 90 Percent Of The Registered Candidates Appeared For NEET Exams Says Education Minister

The Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has informed that around 80 to 90 percent of the registered candidates appeared for the NEET exams this year.

Candidates wearing masks stand in a queue at an examination centre for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), in New Delhi, Sunday. Image (PTI)

NEET 2020: About 90 percent of the registered candidates appeared for the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test on Sunday. Owing to the ongoing pandemic, the centers were increased to maintain social distancing norms. In a tweet on Sunday evening, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Education Minister said that about 85 – 90 percent candidates appeared for the NEET which was held on 13th September 2020. He thanked the Chief Ministers of the country to help arrange facilities for the students. “NTA informed me that around 85-90% of students appeared in #NEET exam today.'

NTA informed me that around 85-90% students appeared in #NEET exam today. I sincerely thank all Chief Ministers and @DG_NTA for proper arrangements made to facilitate student participation. #NEET participation reflects the tenacity and grit of young #AtmaNirbharBharat .

— Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) September 13, 2020

 ALSO READ| UGC NET Latest Updates: NTA Likely To Postpone Upcoming NET Exams; To Release NEW DATES Soon According to a PTI report, National Testing Agency (NTA) procured their data based on random sampling, and said that the attendance for the exam was between 85-90 percent. However, the official attendance figures are not available yet. The attendance in 2019 was 92.9 percent. This year due to the pandemic, the NTA had also increased the number of centres from 2,546 in 2019 to 3,862 this year to ensure crowd management and staggered entry and exit protocols. The National Testing Agency (NTA) had set strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) in view of the pandemic, including measures like reducing the number of candidates per room from the earlier 24 to 12. Various State governments announced free transportation and accommodation for NEET candidates, including West Bengal that ran a special metro service for the candidates. The NEET-UG was originally scheduled for May 3, but was pushed to July 26 and then scheduled for September 13. The exam had been postponed twice due to the pandemic and the government decided to go ahead with it despite the backlash it received for the decision, the move was to curb the loss of an academic year.