Ministry of health issues guidelines to conduct exams amid pandemic

NEW DELHI: The ministry of health and family welfare has issued detailed standard operating procedures, or SOPs to conduct the upcoming examinations in the country.

Considering the large gatherings common at the exam centres, the ‘vital’ preventive measures will be applicable to the staff, students and parents.

Apart from generic preventive measures, the SOPs, recommend proper planning and execution of the exams adhering to the COVID-19 protocol.

The SOPs also suggest specific arrangements to be done at the exam centres by the universities, educational institutes and other exam conducting authority to ensure the safety of students.

Use of face masks, social distancing and respiratory etiquette has to be observed at all times during the conduct of the examination. The guidelines also recommend the installation of the Arogya Setu app, however, it is not mandatory.

Currently, the National Testing Agency is conducting the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main across the country. NTA will also conduct National Eligibility cum Entrance Exam, or NEET 2020 on September 13.

Isolation centres

Students appearing for the exams will undergo thermal screening and the staff involved in frisking will have to wear a “triple-layer medical mask” and gloves for proper hygiene.

All examinees and the staff members will have to submit a self-declaration form about their health status before entering the exam centre. All students will be given prior information on the dos and don’ts along with items allowed inside the exam centre.

Each exam centre will have to arrange a “designated isolation centre” for a student or a staff member who is found symptomatic at the exam centre.

Such a student will have to be sent to the nearest health centre. The student, in such case, will be given an opportunity to appear for the exam through other means or at a later date when they are physically fit.

Planning examination

As per the health ministry guidelines, only those examination centres which are outside a containment zone will be allowed to conduct an exam. Students living inside containment zones will not be allowed to appear for the exams. The exam authorities have been directed by the ministry to make alternative arrangements for such students.

To avoid overcrowding, the exam authorities will have a schedule and conduct the exam in “staggered manner”. “Institutions should have adequate room capacity to ensure proper seating arrangement for examination,” the official SOP document said.

If any transport or vehicle is arranged for the student’s travel, the exam authority will have to ensure proper sanitization of the vehicle. At the exit, the students and staff will be asked to dispose of the used face masks in covered bins available at the centre.

For computer-based examination, the systems will be disinfected using alcohol wipes before and after the conduct of the examination.

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