Over 15.65 lakh candidates registered and a large number of them are currently writing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) on Sunday, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. NEET is the only national-level entrance exam for admission into medical and dental colleges in the country. After being postponed twice since May, the exams were finally scheduled for September even after massive protests from students across the country and the Supreme Court dismissing the petition for further postponement. NEET is being held a week after Joint Entrance Exam (JEE). The National Testing Agency (NTA) has taken several measures to ensure that SOPs are followed. There will be less number of students in a room and the number of exams centres have been increased. Here's a look at whether these norms were followed of flouted at the exam centres.
Andhra Pradesh
At some centres in Vijaywada, social distancing norms weren't followed and SOPs like compulsorily wearing a mask was flouted. Here are a few images of students and parents waiting outside the Andhra Loyola Institute of Engineering and Technology, one of the centres in the city.
Similar scenes could be seen outside exam centres in Visakhapatnam. At this exam centre, students and parents could be seen huddled together, flouting social distancing norms and other SOPs.
Large crowds were seen gathered outside exam centres in Tirupati. Students and parents flouted social distancing norms.
Telangana
Social distancing norms and SOPs were more strictly followed in Telangana, however. At Sarojini Naidu Mahavidyalaya, one of the centres in Hyderabad, students can be seen maintaining social distance and all other norms are being followed outside the exam centre. However, once inside the exam hall, SOPs were flouted.
Kerala
Social distancing norms went for a complete toss in various centres in Kerala. At Toc H Public School, one of the exam centres in Kochi, parents and students could be seen flouting norms by crowding outside the centre even as the students flout norms while entering the centre.
Students appeared for NEET in Kozhikode on a rain-battered Sunday. Social distancing norms were flouted across exam centres in the city. Large number of parents could be seen gathered outside this exam centre despite rainfall.
Tamil Nadu
While SOPs were followed in most centres in Tamil Nadu, the area outside the exam centres in Chennai remained crowded with parents of students waiting till the exam was over.
Karnataka
Outside exam centres in Bengaluru large crowds consisting of parents gathered, without social distancing. SOPs were strictly followed inside the exam centres with thermal scanning and considerable social distancing being maintained.
Odisha
At Bhubaneswar, social distancing norms were stricter and SOPs were followed to a great extent. Students entering Mother's Public School, one of the centres in the city could be seen following the norms. However, a large crowd of parents was seen gathered outside other exam centres.
Social distancing norms were also flouted across various centres in Cuttack. Parents could be seen crowding outside exam centres.
