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Govt Revises SOP for Exams Ahead of NEET 2020, Removes Isolation Option for Symptomatic Students
11-September-2020

The Union health ministry on Thursday modified the SOP for holding exams during the coronavirus pandemic, scrapping the provision that permitted symptomatic candidates to take the test in an isolated room. As per the updated document, a symptomatic aspirant should be referred to the nearest health centre and provided a chance to appear for the test through other modes or the educational institution shall make provisions for taking the exam at a later date when the student is deemed fit.

"However, if a student is found to be symptomatic, the permission or denial thereof, in such cases shall be granted as per the policy already enunciated on the issue by the Examination Conducting Authorities,� the revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) said. The development assumes significance as the earlier guidelines, issued on September 2, stated that personnel and examinees from containment zones shall not be allowed to be physically present at exam centres and other arrangements would be made for such students.

These students will be provided with an opportunity to appear for the examination through other ways, or universities shall arrange for taking the exam at a later date for them. As per the SOP, suitable preparations for arranging personal protection gears like face masks or hand sanitisers, soap, sodium hypochlorite solution etc. shall be provided by universities, educational institutions, examination conducting authorities or examination centres to the staff as well as students as per the necessity.

"Exam functionary and examinees may also submit self-declaration about health status at the time of entrance to the examination centre. Such self-declaration form may be circulated at the time of issue of admit tickets,� the guidelines said. If any examination functionary or examinee fails to meet the self-declaration criteria, they shall not be allowed entry, the SOP emphasised.

Besides this, only asymptomatic staff and students shall be permitted inside the examination hall, the SOP said, adding that wearing face cover or mask is compulsory. The designated authorities will also chalk out the schedule for the examination in a staggered manner in order to prevent congestion at any examination centre on any day, the SOP underscored. Examination centres in containment zones shall not be allowed to operate, it added.

Meanwhile, for pen and paper-based tests, the SOP details that the invigilator will sanitise his or her hands before handing out of question papers or answer sheets and the examinees will also sanitise their hands before receiving these items. The collection and packaging of the answer sheets at each stage would require sanitisation of hands. The answer sheets will preferably be opened up after 72 hours have gone by after the collection of papers, the guidelines advised.

�Use of spit/saliva for counting and distributing sheets shall not be allowed,� the SOP stated. The examination centre should have a designated isolation room for isolating any person who is found symptomatic at the time of screening or during examination, till such time medical advice may be sought.

A clear policy on permitting or not permitting symptomatic candidates to appear for the examinations shall be delineated by the examination conducting authorities in advance, the SOP stated.