The first batch of students wrote the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains, a test for admission into engineering colleges in the country, on Tuesday morning. The test was conducted after it was postponed twice earlier due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
As the exams began on Tuesday, TNM visited a test centre in Hyderabad’s Old Alwal, to check the preparations and to interact with both students and parents to find out what they felt about the arrangements.
Students who reached the examination centre were asked to remove their masks and leave it in a box provided and the students were then provided a 3-ply surgical mask each. According to officials, this was not only to ensure good quality masks were used by all, but to also prevent cheating during the exam. The students were then asked to use hand sanitizers provided at the exam centre, following which their temperature was checked and only then were they allowed to enter into the exam centre. Boxes were marked on the ground at the entrance of the centre to avoid overcrowding.
Speaking to TNM, Navpal Reddy, a parent who was eagerly waiting for his daughter to finish her examination said, “I was expecting a disinfection tunnel at the entrance, these days, only sanitizing one's hands is not enough.”
CV Reddy, a professor at a college who is also a parent-- waiting outside the centre said, “I am glad the exam is finally getting over. While I have been really worried about my son’s safety, I was also anxious about the loss of an academic year due to the postponement of the exam.”
Reddy says his son has not stepped out of his home for almost three months now. It was only for today’s exam that he stepped out. There was a constant fear about missing the exam if he contracted the virus. He said he was relieved that the exam was finally over.
Around 12 pm as the exam concluded, the students began to walk out of the centre. Unlike the usual scene outside exam centres, just like at the time of the entry, the officials had ensured a staggered exit from the centre. Students walked out one after the other, visibly relieved that the much-talked about test was over.
Amit Kumar, a student who attempted the exam said, “Strict precautions were followed. I am extremely satisfied with the arrangements made. A two-feet gap was maintained between each of the computers.”
Other students who walked out of the exam centre also said that they were satisfied with the safety precautions that were followed at the centre. Sai Suman, another student who attempted the exam, had a pair of gloves on. When asked if they had asked him to remove the same, he said, “They did not have any restrictions about wearing a pair of gloves. I was hoping the exam would be postponed as I was really worried about the pandemic, but now that it is done, I am glad it is over. I am satisfied with all the arrangements that were in place.”
While strict precautions were followed right from the entrance to the exit, the parents who were eagerly waiting for their children, could be seen gathering in large numbers outside the centre. No arrangements had been made for them. While everyone sported a safety mask, some often seemed to forget about the pandemic. At one point, the crowd had overflowed onto the main road and the traffic in the area had come to a standstill. A police patrol car parked outside the centre could be heard blaring its siren, urging people to leave and probably hoping to remind parents about overcrowding.
The National Testing Agency (NTA), had clearly mentioned that all safety precautions would be followed not only during the exam but also after the exam. Officials had stated that sanitisation of all seats before and after the exam would be carried out. It was also mentioned that apart from the test centre-- all seats, computers and keyboards would also be disinfected.
The JEE mains were originally supposed to be held in April but were later postponed to July. After hearing several petitions requesting the exam to be postponed further due to pandemic, the Supreme Court directed the exams to be conducted in September. The JEE Mains 2020 which began on Tuesday, will be held until September 6.