NEET 2021 is scheduled to be conducted on August 01, 2021. NTA is not willing to postpone the exam from the said date unless there are any ‘unavoidable circumstances’. However, recently, the Assam government on Tuesday announced that the Assam board exams 2021 will be held this year. Assam board exams are scheduled to be held between August 1 to 15, 2021, for Class 10 and 12. Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) will announce the revised Assam HS 2nd year routine 2021 within the next 10 days online at ahsec.nic.in.
How do Assam Board Exams affect NEET 2021 dates?
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) is the national level UG medical entrance exam in India. Also, it is ‘the only’ entrance exam. The 10+2 passed / appearing candidates are the major candidates for this exam. Therefore, to hold NEET, the conducting body have to consider the board exams of all states. Now that Assam will hold the class 12 board from August 01, 2021, it is not possible that NEET 2021 can be held on August 01, overlapping with the Assam boards.
“The consensus is that exams should be held. Since the COVID cases are declining in the state, we feel it would be safe to hold the exams.”
Assam education minister Dr Ranoj Pegu
Therefore, Assam board exam dates have now become a determiner for NEET 2021 dates.
So will NEET 2021 be postponed?
Given the circumstance, National Testing Agency (NTA) cannot hold NEET 2021 if the dates clash with Assam class 12th board. Moreover, Assam’s decision to hold class 12 board exams overlooking the fact that NEET 2021 is scheduled on August 01, 2021, might be an indication that NEET 2021 will be postponed.
Therefore there are high chances that NEET 2021 can be postponed until after August 15, 2021, or most probably to September.
A decision on NEET 2021 date expected soon
Recently, the HRD ministry asked vice-chancellors of various universities to discuss the schedule for various university level and national-level exams. Ministry of Education is expected to decide the exact date within the next 15 days for conducting the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) 2021. The Education Ministry will now review the COVID-19 situation across the country and then it will make the final decision on various examinations. Unlike the board exam, the national level entrance exams and university level entrance tests cannot be cancelled. The exams will be held and a final call will be taken depending on the situation of covid in the nation in the upcoming months.
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2021 is the biggest national level medical entrance exam which is held for admission of 10+2 qualified students, who wish to take admission in MBBS, BDS, BUMS, BHMS, BAMS, BSMS, etc. This year onwards, the result of NEET can also be used for admission in B.Sc Nursing, B.Sc Life Science, and other Nursing courses.
