Covid-19: Students who missed JEE Advanced to get chance to directly reappear in 2021

Students who missed the Joint Entrance Exam-Advanced for admissions to IITs this year would be allowed to appear for the test next year.

“To address the concerns of the affected candidates, while avoiding prejudice to other candidates, it has been decided to allow all the candidates, who had successfully registered to appear in JEE (Advanced) 2020 but were absent in the exam, to appear in JEE (Advanced) 2021, as a one-time measure,” the Joint Admission Board said in a statement here.

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi was responsible for conducting JEE Advanced this year.

The JAB has also considered relaxation of the eligibility criteria and decided to permit an extra attempt for those candidates who were unable to appear in JEE (Advanced) 2020 on account of being Covid-19 positive.

“To ensure equal opportunity to all, the JAB has also decided that these candidates will not have to qualify JEE (Main) 2021 and will be allowed to directly appear in JEE (Advanced) 2021 on the basis of their successful registration to appear in JEE (Advanced) 2020,” the JAB said.

It said this relaxation of existing eligibility criteria will be in addition to proportionate relaxation of age bar.

Of the 2.5 lakh students who were eligible to appear for JEE Advanced, only 1.5 lakh had taken the exam. Over 43,000 candidates, including 6,707 girls, have cleared the exam.

JEE Main for admission to engineering colleges was conducted from September 1 to 6 and JEE Advanced on September 27 amid strict precautions in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Staggered entry and exit of candidates, use of sanitisers at gates, distribution of masks and social distancing as candidates queued up, were followed at examinations centres across the country.