NTA takes baton from CBSE to conduct JEE Main, NEET and UGC NET

National Testing Agency (NTA) is all set to conduct some of the most prestigious entrance exams of the country. It has taken the baton from CBSE to conduct entrance exams like Joint Entrance Examination (Main), National Eligibility cum Entrance Test and UGC National Eligibility Test. 

In addition to JEE (Main), NEET and UGC NET, NTA will also conduct Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) and Common Management Admission Test (CMAT). Government has allocated a one-time-fund of ₹25 crore to NTA. After that it will be a self sustainable body which will look after its expenses itself.

NTA has been setup to bring transparency and smooth conduction of entrance exams in the country. It will certainly relieve the burden of CBSE which used to conduct JEE Main, NEET and UGC NET earlier; in addition to Class 10 and Class 12 board exams. 

Apart from CBSE, NTA is also expected to reduce the stress of students. It will now conduct entrance exams like JEE Main and NEET twice in a year. Hence, students will have two chances to perform well in these exams. Though JEE Main 2019 will be conducted twice, in January and April, NEET 2019 will only be conducted once, in May 2019. Unlike other exams like JEE Main, UGC NET, GPAT and CMAT which will be conducted in “Computer Based Mode” only, NEET 2019 will again be “Pen & Paper Based” exam. This has been done on the request of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, who wanted the same pattern followed last year to relieve students from rural areas. 

In coming years, NTA will conduct all exams in CBT (Computer Based Test) mode only. Even NEET will be conducted in the same mode. It will certainly check the issues of paper leak or use of unfair means in the exam and bring transparency. Earlier, if a student missed exams like JEE Main or NEET, he needed to wait for the next year. If a student performed poorly in these exams, he did not get second opportunity. NTA will address these issues by conducting JEE Main and NEET twice in a year. 

Unlike CBSE, NTA has also established a wide network of Test Practice Centres (TPC) throughout the country to familiarize students- to Log In into the system, to go through the detailed instructions about the Test, to use mouse and virtual keyboard, to navigate between questions, to review and edit answers and finally to submit questions. 2,697 Schools and Engineering colleges with computer centres will be made available to students on Saturday and Sunday, from 1 September 2018. Students can use this facility without paying any fee. 

NTA has been setup with lots of expectations. Number of candidates in entrance exams is also increasing every year. Only time will tell, how efficient is this newly constituted body in smoothly conducting various entrance exams. But, the start looks promising and students are excited about appearing in JEE Main twice in a year. NEET aspirants are also expecting same from 2020 onwards.