BHUBANESWAR: The state government has relaxed Covid restrictions and announced that there will be no lockdown or shutdown in eight towns -- Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Balasore, Angul, and Dhenkanal -- from August 30 to September 7 and September 12 to September 14 to facilitate the transport of candidates appearing from JEE (Main) and NEET tests.
While the JEE examination is scheduled to be held from September 1 and 6 while the NEET test is scheduled on September 13.
In an order, Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena said all the candidates along with their guardians, if any, as well as the examination personnel, representatives of service providers for CCTV, jammers, and frisking will be allowed to travel from their place of stay to the examination cities and centres either in their personal vehicles, hired or public service vehicles.
Copy of the admit card of the candidates including soft copies or any other document held by the examination personnel and staff of service providers will be considered as their valid movement pass throughout the state.
The SRC said the organisers will ensure that all safety protocols relating to Covid-19 such as physical distancing, mask-wearing, no spitting in a public place, personal hygiene, and sanitation are maintained inside the centres. The district authorities will ensure the same outside the examination centres, he said.