National testing agency to hold NEET, JEE twice a year: Govt

Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development (HRD) Upendra Kushwaha said, in response to a written question in the Lower House of Parliament, the Centre was setting up a National Testing Agency (NTA), an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organisation, to conduct the entrance exams for the higher educational institutions.

“The National Testing Agency will initially conduct those entrance exams which are held by the CBSE. The exams will be conducted online at least twice a year, thereby giving an adequate opportunity to the candidates to bring out their best,” Kushwaha said.

Both the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical colleges and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admission to engineering colleges are currently conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

The CBSE has conveyed its inhibitions to the HRD Ministry about conducting the exams in future, saying they are overburdened with the massive exercise.