37,000 to take NEET in Odisha, COVID positive can't appear

Candidates who have tested positive for COVID-19 will be not be allowed to appear the National Eligibility and Entrance Test on Sunday. 
Students arriving at Bhubaneswar railway station to appear for NEET exam. (Photo | Irfana, EPS)
Students arriving at Bhubaneswar railway station to appear for NEET exam. (Photo | Irfana, EPS)

BHUBANESWAR:  Candidates who have tested positive for Covid-19 will be not be allowed to appear the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) on Sunday. A decision to this effect has been taken after the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducting the exam revised its SOP in view of the safety of all. 

“In view of the interest of the Covid-19 positive candidates and the safety of other candidates and exam personnel, it has been decided that they would be allowed to take NEET 2020 at a later date, which will be finalised after the exam,” stated NTA DG Vineet Joshi in a letter. 

A total of 37,459 students from Odisha have enrolled for the test to be conducted at 84 centres across the State. While Bhubaneswar has the highest number of 31 centres, Cuttack and Sambalpur have 14 centres each, Balasore 11, Berhampur seven, Rourkela five and Angul two. 

Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare department, PK Mohapatra said all arrangements have been made in the seven cities as per the guidelines of the NTA. “Students have been advised to appear for the exam without any fear,” Mohapatra said. 

The State Government has facilitated free transportation and accommodation to candidates in need. Although there will be no frisking in wake of the Covid-19 infection, students and those on exam duty would have to undergo thermal screening before entering the examination hall. 

With around 15,600 students appearing the exam in the State Capital alone, Khurda Collector Sanat Kumar Mohanty chaired a meeting to review preparedness. Mohanty said following the decision they have decided to allow candidates with high temperature or other symptoms to appear the test in isolation on September 13.

A team of doctors will be deployed to attend the students in case of any emergency, he added. Masks and hand sanitisers will be distributed among the candidates free of cost and adequate provisions will be made to maintain social distancing at the examination centres. Special security arrangements would also be put in place by police for smooth conduct of the examination.

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