HRD Minister inaugurates more than 3400 Test Practice Centres for entrance examinations for Higher Education, across 622 Districts in the country

The Union Minister for HRD Shri Prakash Javadekar has inaugurated a network of more than 3,400 Test Practice Centres (TPCs) spread across the 622 Districts in the country. 25 Test Practice Centres (TPCs) joined Minister of HRD through Google Hangouts in this inauguration at New Delhi  today. These test centres have been set up to facilitate students appearing in entrance examinations for Higher Education to hold practice sessions to enable them to get used to the changed mode and pattern of examination.

While interacting with Test Practice Centres (TPCs), the Union Minister said that the government is committed to provide quality education with equity, therefore we are launching Test Practice Centres across the countryfor those students who do not have computers and smart phones. Now no student will suffer due to lack of resources, the Minister added.

He further said that the government has changed the pattern of JEE (Mains) and UGC NET Examination from this year. Now it has become computer based instead of Pen and Paper mode. The new exam pattern is more Transparent, leak proof, scientific, student friendly and fast. In order to provide facility for practice for the changed pattern, National Testing Agency (NTA) has established Test Practice Centres across the country.NTA has also launched a practice App through which students can practice on their own on their computers or on smartphones.This is the real revolution in the field of competitive examinations, the Minister explained.

While interacting with students, HRD Minister informed students that now students can access IIT PAL(Professor Assisted Learning) video lecture on SWAYAM Platform for the preparation of JEE. The HRD Minister received overwhelmed response from all 25Test Practice Centres. Students from various centres appreciated and thanked the government for this particular initiative. Secretary, Higher Education Shri R. Subrahmanyam and DG, NTA Shri Vineet Joshi were also present during the video conference.

In order to bring efficiency, transparency and qualitative difference in competitive examination process for Higher Education, MHRD has set up ‘National Testing Agency’ (NTA), (www.nta.ac.in) a premier testing organization, to conduct entrance Tests for higher educational Institutions. The NTA has been mandated to conduct JEE (Main), NEET (UG),UGC-NET, CMAT and GPAT examinations.

NTA has established, a network of ‘Test Practice Centres’ (TPCs)across the country in about 622 Districts in 33 States/UTs, so that students of rural areas and others, get an opportunity to practice theComputer Based Test (CBT)before the exam. The TPCs will provide Mock Tests to the candidates of JEE (Main) and UGC-NETexaminations.

For setting up TPCs, the NTA has engaged a large number of schools and colleges, that have 30 or more Internet connected PCs/laptops at one location. Depending on the demand, the TPCs function for one shift (02:30 PM – 05:30 PM) on all Saturdays and two shifts (11:00 AM – 02:00 PM, 02:30 PM – 05:30 PM) on Sundays. As on date, more than 3400 TPCs have been setup including 689 Kendriya Vidyalayas and 403 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas. State wise number of TPCs and computers available for practice therein is as follows –

Any student can use the facility in TPC free of charge. For registration, students across the country can register themselves, online through NTA Website (https://www.nta.ac.in) or using ‘NTA Student App’available on Play Store. They can offer their choice of TPCs near their location.

Students are communicated about the allotted TPC, 1 day before practice date through SMS. In the allotted TPC, they can practice and can experience the actual method of taking a CBT. Computer Based Mock tests are provided to the candidates of JEE (Main) and UGC-NET, so that they can familiarize themselves with the logging process, going through detailed instructions regarding the test, using the mouse for attempting each question, navigating between questions, reviewing and editing their options and submitting questions as they would be required to do in the actual tests.

The TPCs are made operational based on the student demand. A trial run, of Mock Tests, was conducted on the 8^th& 9^th September 2018, wherein 2,452 candidates practiced at 96 TPCs across the country and the candidates were provided instantaneous assessment & feedback on the Mock Test. About 2,000 candidates were scheduled for 15^th September in which 87 TPCs participated and about 3,000 candidates were scheduled for 16^th September in which 85 TPCs participated. State wise details are as follows –

The Mock Test is also available for students to study at home or anywhere, wherein so far, more than 55,000 candidates have taken on-line test from NTA website and more than 32,000 have downloaded the Mock test for practice in offline mode. The test can also be practiced on NTA Student App; so far more than 10,000 students have downloaded the App.

The “Mock Test”at NTA marks the beginning of complete ‘Computer Based Test (CBT)’, era.

Video Conferencing through Google Hangout was successfully held with HRD Minister and around 25 TPCs with 1993 students. State wise details are as follows –