Vikash Sharma

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday urged the National Testing Agency (NTA) to set up additional examination centres in the State for the upcoming NEET (UG) Examination 2021.

In a letter to the Director General of the National Testing Agency, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) PK Mohapatra has requested the former for setting up examination centres at each district headquarters in the State.

As per official sources, only seven examinations centres have been proposed by NTA for the conduct of the upcoming examination. The seven centres are Angul, Balasore, Berhampur, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack Rourkela and Sambalpur for NEET UG 2021.

In his letter, Mohapatra has stated that Odisha has got vast tribal pockets having geographically inaccessible areas and far away from the urban centers of the state for which the students of this state may be deprived of appearing the NEET UG as they will have to move long distance for appearing this test physically.

"Further due to the frequent lockdown shut down imposed by different districts administrations the transportation system is very often disrupted making the movement of the student's further worse. Hence in view of above and with reference to the discussions and suggestions made in VC on 9.3.2021 at 3.00 PM it is requested that for the NEET UG 2021, one examination center in each district of the state of Odisha as under may be considered," wrote Mohapatra.

The State government had earlier made suggestions for setting up of more examination centres during a meeting held via video-conferencing on March 9, 2021.

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