Education Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank told Times Now News that the Ministry is doing all that is necessary to conduct the NEET 2021 exam twice this year. “The decision to conduct the NEET 2021 exam twice is under consideration”. In the latest video by Times Now News, the Minister was seen assuring viewers that if it does not become too difficult, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test 2021 is to be conducted twice like the JEE Main 2021. Incidentally, it may be noted that the Ministry of Health earlier opposed the proposal of the Education Ministry to conduct the NEET 2021 exam twice.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is conducted by the National Testing Agency for admission to undergraduate programs in the field of medicine. Every year, the NEET exam is conducted once. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Education Minister raised the proposal to conduct the NEET 2021 exam twice. The idea is to allow candidates more than one chance at the examination in the same year.
This year, the NTA has already confirmed that the JEE Main 2021 for admission to undergraduate courses in Engineering/Technology in to be held in four sessions instead of two. Likewise, considerations were underway when the Education Minister indicated recently that NEET 2021 exam dates are releasing very soon. However, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare opposed the proposal for multiple sessions of NEET. At that time, MoHFW was in consultation with the National Medical Commission regarding the conduct of the exam twice.
Education Minister Dr RP Nishank, however, assured students that he appealed to the Minister of Health to reconsider the proposal in the greater interest of the significant population of medical degree aspirants after class 12. If the NEET 2021 exam is conducted twice, candidates can appear in the exam in multiple sessions i.e. have two chances to ace the exam. It may be noted that the NEET exam is the national level entrance examination to medical degree courses including MBBS.
Candidates are advised to keep a close look on major media houses/social media platforms and the official website of NTA NEET for any latest updates/announcements. The exam date and official information brochure is expected soon. Besides the Ministry of Education has already clarified that the NEET syllabus is not going to be reduced. However, there may be changes with the exam pattern for benefit of candidates who study as per reduced syllabus of CBSE.
