NEW DELHI: The third session of the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) has been postponed in light of the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the country, Union Education Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank announced today.

The session was originally scheduled to be held from April 27 to April 30. Revised dates for the JEE (Main) will be announced at least 15 days before the exam, Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank added.

The entrance exam scores are accepted by some of the premier engineering institutes in the country, including IIT and NIT.

"Given the current #covid19 situation, I have advised @DG_NTA to postpone the JEE (Main) - 2021 April Session. I would like to reiterate that safety of our students & their academic career are @EduMinOfIndia''s and my prime concerns right now," Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank tweeted.

According to an official order by the National Testing Agency (NTA), "looking at the present situation of COVID-19 pandemic and also taking into account the safety and wellbeing of candidates and examination functionaries, it has been decided to postpone JEE-(Main) April session".

"The revised dates will be announced later on and at least 15 days before the examination," the order said.

Earlier, class 10 board exams have been cancelled and Class 12 exams have been deferred because of a nationwide Covid surge that had led to demands by parents, students, politicians and various states for a government rethink.