The National Testing Agency (NTA) is yet to take a call on postponing the upcoming National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET 2021), even as the number of COVID cases and deaths in the country continue to rise. Responding to an RTI, the government body said that it does not have any information on the postponement of the examination.

The exam is scheduled to be held on August 1. However, the registration form for the entrance examination is yet to be released. Replying to the same RTI, which was filed by Vivek Pandey, a medical student from Madhya Pradesh, the NTA said that it is in the process of consulting with 'concerned ministries for finalising the date to launch the Online Application Form for NEET (UG) 2021. "Hence it is taking some time. However, the same will be notified at the earliest on the NEET (UG) website as soon as the date is decided in consultation with concerned ministries and organistaions," it says.

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However, the students and parents have been tweeting seeking a postponement of the examination, considering the current health crisis in the country. They have started trending the hashtag #postponeneetUG2021, seeking the same. Recently, the Ministry of Education had postponed the CBSE Class XII examination and the JEE owing to rising COVID cases.