Udupi, Manipal, Mysuru among 14 news centres to conduct JEE Main

Bengaluru, Dec 4: Last year, the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) — the first step towards landing undergraduate seats in premier technical institutions — was held at only three centres in Karnataka. This time, apart from those three cities, 14 new centres will host the exam.

The dates for the JEE (Main) are already out and more number of cities have been allowed to hold the computerbased examination this year. It will be held at 17 cities and towns across Karnataka.

Only three cities have been allowed to hold the test in the pen-and-paper format, along with the computer-based examination. JEE (Main) will be held at 17 cities and towns across Karnataka.

Last year, the exam was held only at Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Hubballi where it was both pen-and-paper and online. Coaching centres are on an overdrive to motivate students to go for the computer-based examination for mains too.

According to the examination brochure, the pen-and-paper-based exam will be held only in Bengaluru, Hubballi and Mangaluru; those willing to take offline exam will have to travel to these cities. The pen-and-paper format of JEE (Main) will be held on April 8. The computer-based exam will be held on April 15 and 16 in Bagalkote, Belagavi, Ballari, Bidar, Davanagere, Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Hassan, Kolar, Manipal, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Tumakuru and Udupi.

Holding the pen-and-paper-based exam at a few centres could be a problem for students from rural areas," said YK Jayaramappa, CEO, BASE.

"It's good that there are more exam centres in Karnataka. I hope there could have been more offline centres too," JEE aspirant Muninarayanappa P added.

Some students like Trisha Balsore, from Bidar, are concerned about internet connectivity during examination. "I hope authorities have clarified over internet speed before deciding on the centres," she said.

"We are holding mock JEE (Main) online. Students are more comfortable with traditional offline exam but they are ready to adjust with the new system too. We are motivating students to take the computer-based examination so that things will be easier for them when they get to the next step — JEE (Advanced) — which is online-only test," Mahesh Yadav from ALLEN's Jayanagar branch, said.

"Students can take the mock exam either at our centre or from home," Jayaramappa said.