National Testing Agency (NTA):
Major Reforms in JEE (Main), NEET & Other Examinations
FAQs on this 'major' change/reform:
1. Who has announced?
Union MHRD Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday, July 7, 2018 announced the National Testing Agency (NTA) exam schedule.
2. What has been announced?
The Major examination reform, National Testing Agency (NTA), is now operational. It will be conducting the National Eligibility cum Entrance Examination (NEET) & Joint Entrance Examination- Main (JEE-Main) examinations effective this year. Apart from NEET and JEE (Main), NTA will also conduct National Eligibility Test (NET), Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) and Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) examinations from now on.
3. What was the situation earlier?
The national-level competitive examinations of NEET, JEE (Main) and National Eligibility Test (NET) that were previously conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) would now be conducted by NTA. CMAT and GPAT examination previously conducted by AICTE too would be conducted by NTA.
4. Why it has been done/changed?
The change has been done in order to:
A. Make the examination conducting body more accountable,
B. Curb/minimise incidences of paper leak .
C. Make the examinations fully-secure & computerised.
D. Come at par with international standards of assessment.
E. To have more student friendly, open, scientific and a leak-proof system.
5. Which will be the first exam to be conducted by NTA?:
National Eligibility Test (NET) would be conducted in December and this would be the first exam to be conducted by the newly formed body.
6. When these changes will be effective?
The new changes will be effective for the examinations to be conducted for academic session 2019-20
7. What are the major changes in JEE (Main) & NEET Examinations?
i. Only the method of taking the examination will change.
ii. It will be all computer-based and conducted in online mode.
iii. Also, JEE (Main) & NEET will happen twice in a year now.
iv. JEE (Main) will be held in January and April while NEET will be held twice in February and May.
v. These competitive exams will be held on multiple dates.
vi. Aspirants may appear for one or both as per their choice.
vii. No offline/manual/hand-written examination now onwards.
8. How it will be beneficial for the students?
A. Announcing the schedule of National Testing Agency, Javadekar stated that the new arrangement made by the MHRD will garner a lot of benefit to the students of the country.
B. Every student will get the opportunity to attempt the examinations twice to avoid drop-year cases, which could have been due to any unavoidable circumstances like an accident or sickness/disease.
C. The exams would be held over a span of four-five days and students would have the option of choosing the dates.
D. The results will be able to be processed faster and more efficiently.
E. The candidates who would appear for these tests will be able to use the best score from the multiple attempts during the counselling process.
9. What is not going to change?
A. No change in the syllabus of these examinations.
B. No change in the question format of these examinations,
C. No change in the nature and the kind of questions.
D. No change in the language of these examinations.
E. No change in the fee for these examinations.
F. The IITs would continue to conduct Joint Entrance Examination-Advanced examination in its current form.
G. All the above mentioned examinations will be held in existing number of languages.
10. How Govt. is going to support the students in practicing the On-line or Computer-based Testing (CBT)?
A. The time table of the exams to be conducted by NTA would be uploaded on the ministry's website.
B. Students will be able to go practice mock/practice tests from August-end at home or computer/examination centres, free of cost. The details of such centres would be announced soon.
C. NTA will establish a network of test practice centres for students of rural areas so that everyone will have an opportunity to practice before the exam.
D. Schools/engineering colleges with computer centres would be identified and kept open on Saturday/Sunday starting from 3rd week of August. Any student can use the facility free of charge.
11. JEE (Main) in Jan 2019 and April 2019: tentative schedule
A. January 2019 Examination:
a) Online submission of application forms: 01.09.2018 to 30.09.2018
b) Dates of examination: Between 06.01.2019 to 20.01.2019 (8 different sittings, and candidate can choose any one)
c) Declaration of results: First week of Feb 2019
B. April 2019 Examination:
a) Online submission of application forms: Second week of Feb 2019
b) Dates of examination: Between 07.04.2019 to 21.04.2019 (8 different sittings, and candidate can choose any one)
c) Declaration of results: First week of May 2019
12. NEET (UG) in Feb 2019 and May 2019
A. February 2019 Examination:
a) Online submission of application forms: 01.10.2018 to 31.10.2018
b) Dates of examination: Between 03.02.2019 to 17.02.2019 (8 different sittings, and candidate can choose any one)
c) Declaration of results: First week of Mar 2019
B. May 2019 Examination:
a) Online submission of application forms: Second week of March 2019
b) Dates of examination: Between 12.05.2019 to 26.05.2019 (8 different sittings, and candidate can choose any one)
c) Declaration of results: First week of June 2019
