JEE Main commences, over 38,000 aspirants appear in Odisha

Of the 38,200 students, who will be appearing in the test in 12 sittings between September 1 and 6, approximately 3,600 are writing their papers in two shifts on the first day.
Covid-19 guidelines and social distancing measures were followed in exam centres. (Photo | Express)
Covid-19 guidelines and social distancing measures were followed in exam centres. (Photo | Express)

BHUBANESWAR: The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission into IITs and other top engineering colleges across the country, commenced in the State on Tuesday with strict Covid-19 guidelines and social distancing measures in place.

Of the 38,200 students, who will be appearing in the test in 12 sittings between September 1 and 6, approximately 3,600 are writing their papers in two shifts on the first day.

The first sitting that began at 9 am continued till 12 pm, while the second sitting scheduled to begin at 3 pm will proceed till 6 pm. The exam is being held at 26 exam centres set up by the NTA in seven urban areas -- Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Balasore and Dhenkanal.

In Bhubaneswar, where around 16,000 candidates are appearing for the test, the exam centres have been set up at Kaustuv Technical Campus at Patia, Anthern Global Technology Services campus at Chandaka Industrial Estate, Ripplesoft Testing and Assessment Service Campus-I at Mancheswar, Gandhi Institute for Technological Advancement (GITA) at Madanpur, Gurukrupa College of Management at Kalarahanga and St Xavier International School at Raghunathpur.

Despite anxiety and apprehensions amid Covid-19 crisis, students turned up for the online test at the examination centres as early as 7 am and stood in queue maintaining two metres distance for screening. All candidates and officials on duty went through thermal screening prior to their entry into the examination
centres.

"Though I was in apprehension about the conduct of the exams due to Covid-19, I was fully prepared and expects to score well in the entrance test," said Chinmay, a JEE aspirant. "I took all the precautionary measures and tried to maintain social distancing as much as possible."

Apart from wearing masks and keeping hand sanitiser, students carried their own water-bottles to the exam centres as a precautionary measure.

The Khurda administration and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation came up with special arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of the exams and help students reach the exam centres on time.

To prevent crowing outside the exam centres, the adequate number of police personnel were also deployed by the Commissionerate Police.

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