Presidency University will have many more centres this year for its undergraduate admission tests so that candidates have easier access.

The tests, being held on July 31 and August 1, will be pen-and-paper.

The state joint entrance examination board conducts the tests on behalf of Presidency University.

Examination zones in districts like Calcutta and Howrah, where the maximum number of aspirants appear for the tests, have been split into smaller segments so a candidate can select a centre closest to his or her residence and the crowd of examinees gets evenly distributed to help maintain physical distance in the pandemic, said a JEE board official.

According to the information brochure about the tests, exam zones in Calcutta have been broken into central Calcutta, north Calcutta, Salt Lake/New Town, south Calcutta and west Calcutta.

Central Calcutta will consist of exam centres spread across Moulali, Beliaghata, Narkeldanga, Phool Bagan, Kankurgachi and Park Circus.

North Calcutta will comprise centres spread across Shyambazar, Bagbazar, Girish Park, Burrabazar, College Street and Sealdah.

The other zones also have smaller segments under them.

JEE board chairman Malayendu Saha said: “We will allocate an applicant the centre closest to his or her residential address. While it will be advantageous for them to access, this will also spread the gathering, leading to maintenance of physical distancing as much as possible. We have increased the number of centres to facilitate this”.

When asked what the number of centres could be, he said the figure would be drawn up after they have the number of applicants.

Till last year, an exam zone would consist of centres in two to three segments at the most.

Online submission of forms is likely to begin in the fourth week of March.

Last year, the JEE board did not conduct the test in April because of the pandemic and Presidency University had to admit students on the basis of their performance in the board exams.

This year, the board has restored the test. “Even as the tests are being held in-person, we are stressing on maintaining physical distancing.... Other protocols will be announced,” a JEE board official said.

The practice of allocating centres closest to the applicants’ residence will be followed in this year’s JEE, for admission to BTech courses, due on July 11.

“In JEE, too, we have raised and split the exam centres into smaller segments so candidates can take the test at the centres closest to their residence and observe physical distancing,” the official said.

The tests would be held for admissions to as many as 14 subjects at Presidency.

The details of the schedule of the tests — date and time wise — have been uploaded in the information brochure posted on the JEE board’s website.

The board is yet to announce when it will hold the entrance for admissions to the masters’ programmes at Presidency.