Final decision on NEET 2021 dates to be announced soon; COVID-19 situation under review

According to NEET 2021 date released earlier, the undergraduate exam, meant for admission to medical colleges, is scheduled to be held on 1 August. However, NTA has not released NEET 2021 application forms yet.

NEET 2021 Date: The Union Ministry of Education is now in consultation with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to take a final call on the exam schedule for National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) and releasing its application forms. The decision regarding the conduct of NEET 2021 is being taken after analysing the ongoing pandemic situation. According to NEET 2021 date released earlier, the undergraduate exam, meant for admission to medical colleges, is scheduled to be held on August 1. However, NTA has not released NEET 2021 application forms yet. The delay is creating confusion and anxiousness among the students, with many taking to social media to seek clarity on the matter. Sources in the education ministry are stating that a decision on the NEET schedule would be taken soon.  

Talking to a reputed media portal, a senior official in the ministry said, “We are in consultation with the health ministry regarding the NEET schedule. Since it is a single-day exam, we have to be very careful about the dates. We need to review the COVID situation in the entire country before conducting the exams.”

Usually, NTA begins the registration process for NEET nearly 60 days before the exam date. The National Testing Agency (NTA), the agency that conducts NEET, gives students one month to fill up the application form, while another month is used up by issuance of admit cards and other formalities.

This year, the exam date is just a month away, and no announcement regarding the commencement of the application process has been received yet. The minister announced that NEET 2021 will be conducted on August 1 in the first half of March, before the second wave had become apparent.

Last year, after several postponements, NEET was conducted in September. The same schedule can be followed this year if the situation is conducive, ministry sources said. Reports suggest that the government is analysing the COVID-19 status and lockdown status in various states and UTs before taking a final call.

“When the 1 August date was announced, the situation seemed conducive for the test, but things have changed over the last two months and we need to review whether such a large-scale exam can be conducted. The decision will be conveyed to students soon,” the official said.

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