NDA exam held in Ranchi with Covid precautions, 37% attendance recorded

Attribute it to Covid-19 fear or transportation issue, Jharkhand recorded mere 37% attendance in the examinations for National Defense Academy (NDA) and Naval Academy, which were conducted at 47 centres in capital Ranchi with Covid precautions.

As many as 20,680 examinees from across Jharkhand were supposed to take the examinations in Ranchi centres. “The examinations held in two sittings. The first sitting recorded 37% attendance,” said Moinuddin Khan, secretary to South Chotangpur commissioner.

He said, “Attendance remains around 50% in UPSC conducted examinations on normal days in Jharkhand.”

Ranchi sub-divisional officer (SDO) Lokesh Mishra, who visited the examination centres along with the Ranchi deputy commissioner (DC) Chhavi Ranjan, said, “We found attendance ratio between 35% and 40% in every centre we visited. Covid fear or transportation could be an issue behind the low attendance but we have to examine it before saying anything.”

However, many officials said JEE-Main exams could also be a reason for low attendance, as the JEE-Main examinations concluded on Sunday across nine centres of Jharkhand.

The NDA examinations held in two sittings. The first sitting saw the paper of mathematics from 10am to 12.30pm, while the examinees took the paper of general ability in the second sitting from 2pm to 4.30pm.

The students, who out of the examination halls, said that they papers were moderate neither easy nor tough.

Ayush Yadav, 18, from Ranchi’s Bariatu area, said, “Questions related to trigonometry and calculus were little tough. Rest questions were moderate.” Yadav, who took his examination at Manan Vidyalaya centre, said there were 120 questions in mathematics.

Another student Priyanshu Singh, who came from Jamshedpur, said, “The arrangements were good in view of Covid pandemic. I was scared initially thinking about the precautions at centre. But, it was good.”

Singh reached the centre by his personal vehicle. “Those who do not have personal vehicles faced problem to reach examination centres, as there is shortage of public vehicles on road.”

The NDA examinations passed off peacefully, which held with all Covid-19 precautions amid the pandemic. In all Ranchi centres, examinees were being aware of social distancing. Circles were also marked at several centres for maintaining social distance.

The examinees also underwent thermal scanning and made to wear masks before entering the examination halls. Only one student was allowed in one bench.

Ranchi deputy commissioner (DC) also inspected the preparations and precautions at the centre. He also appealed the parents and guardians to follow the Covid protocol and maintain social distance while picking up their children.