The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admissions to medical and dental courses is being held on Sunday with students being asked not to wear light clothes with long sleeves and shoes to exam centres.
Nearly 16 lakh students have registered for NEET – a pen-and-paper test unlike the JEE – which will be held across 3,843 centres under the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The exam was originally scheduled for May 3, but was pushed to July 26, and then to September 13.
The information bulletin issued for the NEET-2020 test prescribes a dress code for students.
“Light clothes with long sleeves are not permitted. However in case, candidates come in cultural/customary dress at the Examination Centre, they should report at least an hour before the last reporting time i.e. 12.30 pm so that there is enough time for proper frisking without any inconvenience to the candidate while maintaining the sanctity of the examination,” the guidelines said.
It said that slippers, sandals with low heels were permitted but shoes are not permitted in exam centres.
For ensuring social distancing outside examination halls, a staggered entry and exit of candidates has been planned. Adequate arrangements have also been made outside examination centres to enable candidates stand with adequate social distancing while waiting,” a senior NTA official said.
The testing agency has also changed centres for a few candidates this week in compliance with social distancing norms and Covid-19 restrictions. However, the city of the exam centre hasn’t been changed for any candidate.
Making hand sanitisers available at the entrance of the examination centre and inside the exam hall at all times, replacing the process of checking the admit cards of candidates with barcode readers, increasing the number of examination centres, alternate seating plans, fewer candidates per room and staggered entry and exit are among the steps the NTA has taken.
"While all the candidates will be asked to come to the exam centres with masks and sanitisers, once they enter the centre, they will have to use the masks provided by the examination authority.
"Each candidate will be offered a three-ply mask at the time of entry and are expected to wear the same during the examination in order to avoid any form of unfair means at the time of examination," the official added.