The Odisha government will provide free transport and accommodation to JEE and NEET candidates who can’t afford transportation or stay. This decision was announced after the centre maintained its stance to conduct the JEE (Main) and NEET tests on the scheduled dates. This was declared despite requests for postponement by various states including Odisha.
Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy, while communicating this decision said, “Due to the flood situation, there is no public transport facility for numerous families due to the flood situation in the State. the Government will provide free transportation for candidates from their home towns to examination centres and back.”
The regional transport officers (RTOs) have been asked to provide OSRTC and private buses to take candidates to their centres. For candidates who would be availing their own transportation, the government will ensure their smooth journey to the examination centres. To facilitate free movement, the district administrations have been asked to allow candidates and their parents to travel despite lockdowns.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed that engineering college hostels and ITIs should provide free accommodation to the candidates as hotels are not open at many places due to the COVID-19 situation. To assist the students and their parents, ITIs in every district have been designated as nodal centres. The candidates are urged to notify these nodal centres about their transport and accommodation requirements by August 31.
Tripathy stressing on this issue said, “I request JEE aspirants to immediately contact nodal ITI principals about their requirement. If information is not received by August 31, it will be difficult for us to make arrangements”.
Approximately 37,000 students have registered to take the JEE exam in Odisha. Of the 37,000 candidates, about 17,000 are from Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. The JEE test is scheduled to be held from September 1 to 6 while the NEET examination will be held on September 13.