The state joint entrance examinations will be held on July 11 for admission to undergraduate courses in engineering, pharmacy and architecture in institutes across Bengal.

Last year, the test was held on February 2 as the board wanted to start the counselling process early so that the BTech seats did not remain vacant in large numbers.

This year, the entrance exams have been delayed because the state higher secondary exams are scheduled for June.

“Details like the form fill-in schedule, information brochure will be uploaded on the board’s website on or after February 15. We have scheduled the exam for July 11, considering that the JEE (advanced) exams will be held on July 3 and plus-II boards will be over in June,” said Malayendu Saha, the chairman of the state JEE board.

The CBSE exams for Classes X and XII will be held from May 4 to June 10.

The ICSE and ISC board exams are not likely to take place “before the end of May or in June”, ICSE council chief executive and secretary Gerry Arathoon had said in November.

The state HS council will hold its exams from June 15 to July 2.

“Since last year’s counselling started late, in August, because of the pandemic and the process continued till October, the preparation for this year’s exam started late. That is another reason why the exams cannot be held in March,” a JEE board official said.

Each year the dates for the test for the next year are announced on the day of publication of the results.

Last year, the results were announced on August 7. But the dates for the 2021 exams could not be announced because of the pandemic-induced uncertainty.