Engineering entrance examination JEE will be held from July 18-23, while medical entrance exam NEET will be conducted on July 26, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' announced on Tuesday.

The two crucial exams were postponed due to the lockdown imposed to combat the Covid-19 spread.

'JEE-Mains will be held from July 18-23, while JEE-Advanced will be held in August. NEET will be conducted on July 26,' Nishank said in an online interaction with students

'A decision will soon be taken on the pending CBSE class 10, 12 board exams,' he added.

While the Joint Entrance Exam-Mains (JEE-Mains) is conducted for admission to engineering colleges across the country, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is for admission to medical colleges.

More than 15 lakh students across the country have registered for NEET this year, whereas over nine lakh have registered for JEE Mains, the entrance exam for all engineering colleges except the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

The JEE-Mains is considered as a qualifying exam for the JEE-Advanced.

The HRD Ministry's National Testing Agency (NTA) had also given students an option to change their opted centres for the two tests as many of them have moved to different places since the lockdown.

Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16, when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as one of the measures to contain the Covid-19 outbreak.

Later, a nationwide lockdown was announced from March 25 which will last till May 17.

Responding to a question, the HRD minister clarified that the pending class 10 board examination will only be conducted for students in North East Delhi and not the rest of the country.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had already notified this last month but there has been confusion among students and parents in this regard.

'No examinations will be held for class 10 students nationwide except for students from North East Delhi. An adequate time of 10 days will be given to all students for preparation of exams,' Nishank said.

'These exams will be conducted again for those few students who could not appear in these exams on the scheduled date due to the impact of law and order issues on them. The new schedule will be announced within two days,' he added.

The HRD minister asserted that the government is planning to tackle the academic loss of students during the lockdown period.

'As a response to the Covid-19 lockdown, the CBSE will assess the loss of instructional time for proportionate reduction in curriculum load for 2021 board exams. In accordance, course committees of the board have initiated work on reduced syllabus in various scenarios. The students will be notified on the same,' he said.

Regarding the migration of students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNV) to their respective states and homes, the minister informed that the migration process for all schools is being pursued.

'Out of 173 schools, more than 62 schools have initiated the process. All schools wherein migrated students are there, are being monitored regularly. Students on movement are given sanitisers, masks, small soaps and eatables like snacks made from JNV mess.

'All JNVs en route to travel are supporting these students with food, stay, snacks and healthcare,' he added.