Centre considering syllabus cut, multiple attempts at JEE, NEET

Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on Thursday (December 10) said the Centre is discussing proposals to conduct JEE and NEET multiple times a year and reducing the syllabus with stakeholders.

In a live interaction with students and teachers, Pokhriyal assured students appearing for CBSE board exams that they will have enough time to prepare for the exams and the government will ensure that the practical exam dates do not class with entrance examination. He also assured them that the government will postpone the entrance examinations if the situation does not improve.
The syllabus for Class 11 and 12 form the basis of question papers in entrance examinations like JEE and NEET.

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In view of the pandemic which has disabled physical classes in the new academic session, boards such as CBSE and CISCE have already slashed their syllabus for the concerned classes. CBSE has slashed its syllabus by 30 per cent and changed the exam pattern.

The minister had earlier asked the National Testing Agency to discuss the modalities with state boards before finalising the syllabus for the entrance tests.

The upcoming board exams will also see more application-based questions this year.

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Assuring students that the government is considering introducing multiple attempts for JEE and NEET next year, the education minister hinted that the syllabus may be further reduced depending on the prevailing situation at that time.

Pokhriyal had called a live interaction to clarify questions and confusion pertaining to the conduct of board and entrance examinations in 2021. While schools have remained shut in the current academic session due to the COVID-19 situation, students have been demanding the government to re-schedule the final exams, usually held in March, and reduce the syllabus for entrance exams.