The National Testing Agency (NTA) is likely to double the number of test centers for conducting the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
As per a report in The Indian Express, the NTA has been asked by the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry to increase the number of NEET test centers so that social distancing is maintained among the candidates who appear for the national level entrance exam.
The NTA is now planning to make each candidate sit at a distance of two metres from each other.
Till last year, two candidates were usually seated at a distance of one metre.
This would mean that there would have to be 6000 test centres as opposed to the 3000 to accommodate 15 lakh candidates, the report stated.
NEET is a pen and paper based national level entrance exam which is held for admission to both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in medical colleges across the country.
While holding a live webinar for students recently, Union HRD Minister Ramesh PokhriyalNishankinformed that NEET 2020 will be held on July 26 by NTA.
The NTA had postponed the NEET examination which was earlier scheduled to be held on May 3, 2020.
This decision has been taken in view of the hardships faced by the parents and the students due to COVID-19 epidemic.