NEET 2020 Exam Covid-19 Saftey Measures: AIIMS Experts Draft SOPs

Updated On: July 20, 2020 05:57 pm IST

The NTA has announced that a panel of AIIMS medical experts has drafted a revised SOPs to ensure safety during NEET-UG 2020. Implementation of rules such as using handheld metal detectors instead of physical frisking to offering fresh face masks to students has been suggested.

With the rapid increase in COVID-19 case and to ensure a curb on the spread of the novel virus, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has taken the responsibility of conducting a COVID-19 Safe NEET 2020 exam. With nearly 16 lakh candidates across India preparing for NEET-UG 2020 to pursue popular MBBS course in India, the authorities have a humongous task of keeping its applicants and invigilators safe. The main agenda of the revised NEET SOP preventive measures is the safety of the students and to ensure that the NEET 2020 exam is not postponed further.

To ensure that students and invigilators and other stakeholders of the national-level entrance test are safe, a new and revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been drafted, keeping in view the effects and causes of the Novel Coronavirus. A panel consisting of experts from the prestigious medical institution, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have drafted a new COVID-19 safe SOP, which could likely be adopted for JEE, UGC NET and other national-level entrance tests.

Covid-19 Preventive Measures for NEET 2020 by NTA: Revised NEET SOP

Many changes and preventive measures have been considered and drafted in the revised SOP for NEET 2020 exam by the NTA. These changes, ranging from additional exam centres to individual masks being provided by the exam centres to students, have been advised to reduce the risk of further spread of the virus. Check out the preventive measures for NEET 2020 by NTA as specified in the drafted revised NEET SOP.

Regulations that should be Followed by NTA and its officials:

Increase the number of exam centres to ensure social distancing is maintained between the students and invigilators.
- Note: NTA has already increased the number of exam centres to 4,500 from the previously allotted centres, which was 2,600 for NEET 2020 exam.
Handheld metal detectors shall be provided at each exam centre to ensure no physical frisking of the students takes place at any point, prior to, during and after NEET 2020.
- Over 9,000 handheld metal detectors, in total, should be provided by the NTA to the exam centres to check for listening devices.
Availability of Sanitisers at several points at each exam centres, keeping social distancing norms in mind.
Each student should be offered a fresh face mask wrapped in the question paper.
Jammers and CCTVs shall be added to all exam centres to catch and reduce malpractices being adopted by the candidates.
Each exam room shall be sanitized before and after the examinations has been conducted
Desks and chairs will be placed with social distancing norms in mind to maintain a safe distance between two candidates.
2 invigilators will be assigned between 12 NEET candidates at the exam centre.
An invigilator will accompany any candidate wishing to use the washroom facilities at the exam centre. This will be done on a one-on-one basis as well.

Regulations that should be Followed Prior to Entering the NEET Exam Centres:

Each applicant will be required to appear at the exam centre with a face mask and hand gloves worn prior to entering the respective centres.
Candidates shall also carry individual sanitisers along with their Admit Cards and Photo IDs.

Regulations that should be followed at the NEET Exam Centres:

Applicants will be escorted to the exam rooms in batches of 15 boys and 15 girls. At this point, no Physical Frisking shall be allowed or undertaken.
Candidates will then be asked to present their respective admit card and ID cards for verification purposes.
- Here candidates may be asked to remove their masks for verification to ensure that no impersonation is being carried out.
- NTA will be keeping a close watch on 1,300 repeating NEET candidates to curb any impersonation of identity.
Candidates will be checked for their temperature and any candidate with a higher than normal temperature will be transferred to a different room.
- Currently, the authorities are still contemplating allowing candidates with high temperature to attempt the examination. No decisions regarding the same have been made as of now and new information will be updated shortly.
After the examinations have been conducted, all candidates are supposed to dispose of the surgical mask and gloves used during the examination.
Stringent washroom and drinking water management shall be implemented to avoid over-crowding of students at one point and place.
All students and Invigilators shall bring their respective water bottles and food at the exam centre.

With the new regulations drafted and to avoid any further mishaps, especially with regards to the further spread of COVID-19, the NEET-UG examination has now been postponed and will be held between 26th July 2020 to 13th September 2020 between two sessions, i.e. 2 P.M. to 5 P.M. All candidates will be able to download their respective admit cards 15 days prior to the appearing for the exam.