NEET, JEE may be held twice a year

Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical colleges and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admission to engineering colleges might be conducted twice a year, informed Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development (HRD) Upendra Kushwaha in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

In reply to a written question in the House, Kushwaha said the Centre was setting up a National Testing Agency (NTA), an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organisation, to conduct the entrance exams for the higher educational institutions.

"The NTA will initially conduct those entrance exams which are held by the CBSE. The exams will be conducted online at least twice a year, thereby giving an adequate opportunity to the candidates to bring out their best," he said.

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Both the NEET and JEE are presently being conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). However, the board is now reluctant to bear the extra burden and has informed the HRD Ministry about it.

The HRD Ministry is ready to give the space to CBSE as it will help the board to focus on improving the quality of education.