Odisha govt urges NTA to hold NEET UG 2021 exam in all 30 districts of state

The Odisha government hasurged the National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct the All-India NEET UG 2021 examinations in all the 30 districtsof the state instead of selected seven cities.

The request was made by Additional Chief Secretary,Health and Family Welfare, P K Mohapatra in view of theCOVID-19 pandemic situation still prevailing in the state.

The All India NEET UG Examination is conducted by theNTA for admission to MBBS/BDS courses and other undergraduatemedical courses in approved/recognized Medical/Dental andother Colleges/ Institutes in India.

In a letter to NTA Director General, Vineet Joshi onMonday, Mohapatra said the states plea should be taken intoconsideration and the NEET UG examination be conducted in allthe 30 districts.

The NTA has notified to set up examination centres inseven urban pockets of Odisha namely in Angul, Balasore,Berhampur, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela and Sambalpur.

In view of COVID-19 pandemic, it will be highly unsafefor students to visit the few examination centres tophysically appear for the NEET UG 2021 test. Further, due tofrequent lockdown and shutdown imposed by different districtadministrations the transportation system is very oftendisrupted making the movement of students further worse,Mohapatra mentioned in the letter.

“Odisha has got vast tribal pockets havinggeographically inaccessible areas and far away from the urbancentres of the state for which the students of this state maybe deprived of appearing the NEET UG as they will have to movelong distance for appearing the test,” the letter said.

Mohapatra also reminded the NTA about the March 9,2021 meeting where the state government had raised such anissue.

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