When students braved Covid-19 for NEET exam

Bengaluru: Defying Covid-19 fears, as many as 1,19,587 students wrote their National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) on Sunday in 298 examination centres across Karnataka.

The examination went smoothly across the state without any incident being reported. The NEET is conducted to select seats for Medical and Dental Science courses across the country.

Several students braved all odds and reached Bengaluru from various districts to appear for the exam. The crucial exam was conducted amid opposition from the students and parents across the country. In Bengaluru, strict protocols were followed at many centers, while social distancing was violated at many centers. Due to the Covid-19 scare, the wearing of masks was mandated. The NEET exam was held even as Bengaluru has overtaken Mumbai to become the city with the second-highest number of Covid cases.

The state government had taken all precautionary steps like thermal screening and sanitisers for both students and staff members of all 298 centres.

Across the country, as many 15,97,433 students appeared for this examination. The test was conducted in cities like Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Udupi, Davanagere, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwarda and in Kalburgi districts.

As per the COVID norms, the number of students per call was restricted to 12 instead of 24 last year, as a result the number of examination centres this year was at an all-time high, with 298 centres when compared to last year's 194 centres across the state.

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) was held amid stringent checks and protocols in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. The National Testing Agency (NTA), the body organising the exam has put in place a raft of measures such as increasing the number of exam centres and reducing number of students in a room in view of the Covid-19. Originally scheduled for May 3, has been deferred twice due to Covid-19 first it was postponed to July 26 and then to September 13.

Across the country, more than 15 lakh candidates have registered for the undergraduate exam. The NEET exam is being held days after the JEE (Main) was held across the country.

In Bengaluru, strict protocols were followed at many centers, while social distancing was violated at many. Due to the Covid-19 scare, the wearing of masks was mandated. This comes even as Bengaluru has overtaken Mumbai to become the city with the second-highest number of COVID cases.