All centrally-funded institutions asked to postpone offline exams scheduled in May due to COVID-19 situation

India on Monday recorded 3,68,147 new coronavirus infections.

File Photo (ANI)

New Delhi: In view of the current COVID-19 situation in India, the Ministry of Education on Monday (May 3, 2021) asked all the centrally-funded institutions to postpone offline exams scheduled in May.

Such institutions include all IITs, NITs, IIITs and central universities.

Secretary, Higher Education Amit Khare, in a letter addressed to all the heads of centrally funded institutions, said that the online examinations, etc may continue.

The letter also stated that the decision will be reviewed in the first week of June.

The institutions were further advised to ensure that if anyone in the institution needs any assistance, it should be provided immediate possible help so that he/she comes out of the distress at the earliest.

Earlier on Monday, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Post Graduate) was also postponed for at least four months. The decision to postpone the NEET-PG exam was taken after Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the growing need for adequate human resources for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. 

The NEET-PG students will be given at least one month of time after the announcement of the exam before it is conducted. "This will make a large number of qualified doctors available for COVID-19 duties," the Centre stated. 

Notably, India is witnessing an unprecedented spike in COVID-19 cases from the past couple of weeks. The world's second-worst coronavirus-hit country recorded more than 3,00,000 new infections for a 12th straight day on Monday. India has so far registered 1,99,25,604 cases and 2,18,959 fatalities. The total number of active cases in the country now stands at 34.13 lakh.