New Delhi: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2021 will be held on 1 August, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced late Friday.
According to the notification issued by the agency, “NEET (UG) 2021 will be conducted in 11 languages, including Hindi and English, through pen and paper mode.”
The government had been contemplating conducting the exam online but decided to continue with the pen and paper mode this year.
NEET UG is conducted for admissions to medical and dental courses, including MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BSMS, BUMS and BHMS.
“The result of NEET can also be used by other entities of state/central government colleges for admission to B.Sc Nursing and B.Sc Life Sciences,” the notice issued by NTA said.
ThePrint Thursday reported that the dates for the exam meant for admission to medical colleges across India will be finalised this week.
Also read: Why students wanted NEET & JEE postponed again — health problems, Covid-hit preparations
Only one exam this year
The exam will be held only once this year, the agency has decided. The ministries of health and education had been contemplating holding NEET twice each year from this year, but the plan has been shelved for now.
Director General NTA Vineet Joshi confirmed that the test will be held just once this year.
“There is no point in changing the pattern at the last minute,” he had told ThePrint. The plan was to hold NEET online, similar to the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) meant for admission to engineering colleges.
More than 10 lakh students appear for NEET every year. For NEET 2020, 16 lakh candidates had registered, of whom 13.5 lakh appeared for the test.
Also read: A year with no new doctors or engineers in India — that’s what delaying NEET/JEE will do