
Soon after the National Testing Agency (NTA) released the schedule for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2025 - Session 1, students in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, have voiced concerns over the clash between the exam dates and the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela.
A Reddit post from a local student has brought attention to the issue. The exam is set to coincide with the Maha Kumbh Mela, a major religious event that attracts millions of devotees and causes severe traffic disruptions throughout the city.
The Maha Kumbh Mela is scheduled to take place from January 13 to February 26, 2025, while the JEE Main Session 1 exam for BTech candidates is slated to occur between January 22 and 29, with BArch exams scheduled for January 30.
The student expressed frustration over the logistical challenges, citing that the city will be flooded with people, and roadblocks will make it nearly impossible to reach the exam centres.
“I am from Allahabad and my exam date is sadly 29 (January 29). For anyone out of Allahabad, this might seem like the best date but it is a nightmare for us,” the student wrote on the social media platform.
In the post, the student expressed that roads will be blocked because of the Kumbh Mela, and even basic transportation options like two-wheelers and bicycles will not be allowed on the streets. With their exam centres located 10 kilometres or more away from their homes, students are grappling with the uncertainty of how to reach their designated centres.
The situation has created uncertainty for many local students, who fear they may not be able to reach their exam venues on time.
The students are urging the exam-conducting authorities to revise the exam dates, especially for candidates in Prayagraj, keeping these concerns in mind.
“Please reconsider scheduling JEE Main Session 1 exam centers in Prayagraj from January 27 to January 31, 2025. Due to #MahaKumbh2025, the city will be under massive restrictions, making it extremely difficult for students to reach exam venues,” another user wrote on X.
The NTA is yet to release the admit cards for the JEE Main 2025 - session 1 exam.