According to recent Reports, the National Testing Agency (NTA) which has been endowed with the task of conducting National level examinations like JEE Main and NEET from the year 2019, will be conducting both these examinations twice: Once in December 2018 and again in May 2019. In a bid to benefit the medical aspirants of National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) and engineering aspirants of Joint Entrance Examination Main, NTA is likely to conduct the first phase of these national level tests in December.
NTA was likely to be operational from next year i.e. 2019 but in the scheme of suggestions, NTA is likely to conduct the JEE Main and NEET again starting from this year (2018). There is, however, no official information regarding the same issued by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD).
What is NTA?
NTA stands for National Testing Agency. NTA was approved by the Union cabinet in November 2017. NTA is set up as an Autonomous and self-sustained organization that will conduct national level tests on the voluntary basis for the conduct of independent tests. The National Testing Agency is registered as a society under Indian Societies Registration Act, 1860.
NTA has been entrusted with the responsibility of taking over various examinations previously conducted by the CBSE. This operation had to first start with the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2019. however, there are reports that claim that the NTA might take over the responsibility of conducting these examinations from the year 2018 itself.
The National Testing agency will begin by conducting all the national level examination conducted by CBSE. It will later take up other examinations after it is geared up. Its worth noting that the examination will be conducted not once but twice in a year in the online mode. Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Kanpur has been given the responsibility of setting up NTA for JEE examinations – the national level entrance test which is also a qualifier for JEE Advanced (the entrance test for admissions to various IITs.)
Presently CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) has Conducted the JEE Main 2018 And NEET 2018 in the month of April and May. The results of the same have been announced. While NEET was conducted in offline (pen and paper based) mode, JEE Main 2018 was conducted in the online (computer based) mode. The exams conducted by NTA will be difficult for NEET aspirants as it will conduct both the examinations in the online mode only. So, if NTA conducts these national level tests in December 2018, candidates will be able to easily take the same exam conducted in May 2019.
Will there be any change in the syllabus and exam pattern?
As of now, there’s no information regarding the bringing of any change to the exam pattern and syllabus of the entrance exams to be conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA), hence it will remain the same for both the upcoming examinations, JEE Main and NEET. However, according to a senior official, a question bank will be created by subject experts of NTA and the same will be used in the exams. The official further said that creating a question bank, ideating and managing the online system are the key tasks that we will be carried out by the National Testing Agency.
Benefits of taking tests conducted by NTA
NTA will operate on the National Testing scheme which will provide the below-mentioned advantages:
- It will provide the candidate with the opportunity to improve himself/herself.
- Provide flexibility to various institutions in structuring the Admission process.
- Account for the difference in the socio-economic background of students in an objective and discernible manner.
- The national testing scheme will make sure that the structuring is transparent, fair, reasonable and reliable.
Please note that there is no official notification regarding National Testing Agency (NTA) conducting NEET and JEE Main starting from December 2018. There is no clarity if the exams will be conducted within this year or in a gap of 6 months in a year. The updated information will be provided here as soon as it is announced. Till then it is safe to presume that these exams are going to be conducted by National Testing Agency from the year 2019 onwards.