The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has written to the National Testing Agency (NTA) regarding the demand for an extra attempt for JEE Advanced aspirants who completed Class XII in 2020 and 2021. In a letter addressing the NTA's Chairperson Prof MS Ananth, the NCPCR states that it has received more representations from these aspirants, demanding an extra attempt in the 2023 JEE Advanced exam.
Apart from COVID-19 playing havoc with the academic calendar for the 2020 and 2021 batches of Class XII students, the students also cited the technical issues reported during the JEE Advanced exam this year, which put their attempts in jeopardy. Students of the 2020 batch were already granted an extra attempt this year, but due to technical issues, they are now raising their voices for another attempt.
Students of the 2021 batch claim that since the pandemic hit their academics last year, just as it had hit that of their seniors a year before, they deserved another bite at the cherry with the JEE Advanced exam. As per the rules, candidates are allowed only two attempts at JEE Advanced — once, when they pass out from their Class XII and next, in the year that follows immediately. "It has been requested that the eligibility criteria is put under review and reconsidered so that students can get an extra attempt for JEE Advanced 2023," read the NCPCR's letter.
Apart from the NCPCR and the NTA, these aspirants have also written to IIT Guwahati, which is going to conduct the exam in 2023. While officials at IIT Guwahati acknowledged the receipt of these letters, they said that the final decision can only be taken at a meeting involving all 23 IITs.
