JEE Main clashes with CBSE, state board exams; students demand change in schedule

JEE Main, CBSE exam 2021: Following the release of the CBSE date sheet, teachers and students are requesting the National Testing Agency (NTA) to postpone the last phase of (JEE) Main. As per the CBSE date sheet, the biology exam will be held on May 24 which coincides with the JEE Main last attempt scheduled to be conducting from May 24 to 28.

Smita Vala, a class 12 student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kolkata is preparing for board exams, medical and engineering entrance tests. “I have taken physics, chemistry, biology, and maths so that I can be eligible to appear for both JEE and NEET. While the schedule of NEET is not out yet, I thought my board exams will be over and I will be able to appear for JEE without skipping any test,” said Vala.

The computer science students are also unhappy with the date sheet as their subject paper will be held on May 29, a day after the JEE Main. Nikhil Chauhan, a student of Delhi Public School said the preparation for both the exams is quite different, and to focus on the engineering entrance test will impact his board exam scores.

This year, the JEE Main will be held in four phases –– February, March, April, and May.

Another student Shivangi Khurana said as three months are left for the board exam, to focus on the competitive exam will hamper the preparation. “The pandemic has affected the entire year, and online classes are not sufficient for understanding of science subjects. Now, as schools, institutions have been reopened, I want to use the opportunity to prepare well for the board exam rather than focusing on engineering entrance test.”

Shivangi wants to attempt the exam in May, but her economics paper on May 25 is clashing with JEE. She has physics on May 13, chemistry on May 18, maths on June 1.

READ | Check the new paper pattern of JEE Main 2021 

Respected Sir,
Please shift jee main may attempt as I have biology board exam in the same date.#shiftjeemain #shiftmayattempt#educationmininster

— Amrit Aurojyoti (@AmritAurojyoti) February 2, 2021

A similar issue is raised by the Karnataka pre-university II (class 12) students as their physics exam is on May 24. Teachers are also supporting the students. They argue that exam authority needs to be lenient as the students are already stressed out due to the pandemic and the entire preparation has been done online in this academic year.

Akhilesh Chaturvedi, Kendriya Vidyalaya, teacher from Delhi region said, “Since the reopening of schools in Delhi, we observed that students are not well-prepared for the board exam. They lack understanding of the conceptual problems. In maths classes, focus is on solving sample papers and last 10 year questions so that students can get familiarised with the paper pattern.”

FIITJEE mentor Debdeep Banerjee said, “Offline classes can’t be replaced by online classes. Most of the students are desired to appear in May after the board exam, and the exam conducting agency should consider providing options to them.”

Meanwhile, the National Testing Agency is thinking to provide another slot for students having biology on May 24. The NTA official told indianexpress.com, “The issue regarding students’ problem has been discussed, and the students may be provided another day. The agency may take help of CBSE to collect the roll number of the students.”