The NEET (UG) 2021 will be held on September 12, 2021, across the country, announced the newly appointed Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He tweeted the announcement and added that the exam will be conducted while following all COVID-19 protocols. The application process for the medical exam will begin from 5 pm on July 13 through the NTA website.

The education minister also said that the number of cities and exam centres will be increased to ensure social distancing. "The NEET (UG) 2021 will be held on September 12, 2021 across the country following COVID-19 protocols. The application process will begin from 5 pm tomorrow through the NTA website(s)," said Pradhan. "In order to ensure social distancing norms,  the number of cities where the examination will be conducted has been increased from 155 to 198. The number of examination centres will also be increased from the 3862 centres used in 2020," he added.

READ ALSO: JEE, NEET syllabus to remain unchanged for 2021, students choose to answer 75 out of 90 questions

"To ensure adherence to COVID-19 protocols, a face mask will be provided to all candidates at the centre. Staggered time slots during entry and exit, contactless registration, proper sanitisation, seating with social distancing etc. will also be ensured," added Pradhan.