Newly formed National Testing Agency (NTA) would- now conduct the national- level examinations -- NET, NEET, JEE (Mains) -- that were organised by the CBSE, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said on July 8.

National Eligibility Test (NET) would be conducted in December and JEE (Mains) twice a year, in January and April. NEET would be conducted in February and May, the minister said. NET, a qualifying test for admission in higher educational institutions in the country, would be the first exam to be conducted by the newly formed body.

The NTA would also conduct National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) and Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test(GPAT), Javadekar said.The students can appear both the times in National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the best of the two scores would be taken in account for admission, the minister said. NEET is conducted for admissions to medical institutions across the country.

"The exams will be more secure and at par with international norms. There will be no issues of leakage and it would be more student friendly, open, scientific and a leak-proof system," Javadekar told reporters. The NTA would benefit the students and they would have the option of going to computer centres from August-end to practice for the exams. The tests would be computer-based. The exams would be held over a span of four-five days and students would have the option of choosing the dates, he said.

The syllabus, question formats, language and fees for the exams would not be changed, he said. The time table of the exams to be conducted by NTA would be uploaded on the ministry's website. The IITs would continue to conduct Joint Entrance Examination-Advanced exam, he said. The Union Cabinet had approved setting up of NTA to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions. So far, The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducted NEET on behalf of the Medical Council Of India and the Health Ministry and NET on behalf of the University Grants Commission (UGC).