BHUBANESWAR: As the Centre remained firm over conduct of JEE (Main) and NEET tests on schedule despite requests for postponement by various states including Odisha in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the State Government on Friday announced free transport and accommodation for the needy candidates.
Announcing the decision, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said that the Government will provide free transportation for candidates from their home towns to examination centres and back.
The regional transport officers (RTOs) have been asked to arrange OSRTC and private buses to take candidates to their centres. Tripathy said that the decision has been taken as there is no public transport due to the flood situation in the State.
The Chief Secretary said as hotels are not open at many places due to the Covid-19 situation, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed that engineering college hostels and ITIs should provide free accommodation to the candidates.
The Government will also facilitate smooth journey of the candidates who prefer to go by their own to the examination centres.
The district administrations have been asked to allow the movement of candidates and their parents without any hindrance due to the lockdowns and shutdowns.
The ITIs in every district have been announced as nodal centres to help the students and their parents. Candidates have to inform the nodal centres regarding their transport and accommodation requirement by August 31.
Tripathy requested JEE aspirants to immediately contact nodal ITI principals about their requirement. “If information is not received by August 31, it will be difficult for us to make arrangements,” he said.
Around 37,000 students will appear the JEE examination in Odisha. Of them, around 16,000 to 17,000 are from Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
Government is waiting for information regarding candidates from other areas, the Chief Secretary said.
Similarly, more than 50,000 candidates will sit for the NEET examination. The JEE examination is scheduled to be held from September 1 to 6 while NEET test will be held on September 13.
The Chief Minister had written to the Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for postponing the JEE and NEET examinations.