The National Testing Agency (NTA), India’s premier organisation established to conduct entrance academy for admission to higher educational institutions, has launched 3,040 test practice centres across 662 districts, where one can register and practice the Computer Based Test free of cost, reports The Times of India.

Apart from the test centres, students having access to computers or smartphones can practice the tests through an application launched by NTA. More than 2.72 lakh computer systems have been made available for practice test of JEE (Main) and UGC-NET examinations at various centres across the country for students who don’t have access to smartphones or computers.

The Trial Practice Centres (TPC) would be set up on-demand basis. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Kerala will have 300 centres each. While north-eastern states have 163 TPCs, Jammu and Kashmir have 47 TPCs. Trial tests were conducted on 8 September and 9 September, and students were provided with instant results and feedback. As many as 96 TPCs saw a footfall of 2,452 students.

NTA has roped in many schools having more than 30 computers connected to the internet for TPCs, and these TPCs would engage tests on Saturday (only afternoon session from 2.30pm-5.30pm ) and Sundays (morning session from 11 am - 2 pm, and afternoon session from 2.30pm-5.30pm).

Interestingly, Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar, interacted with 1,993 candidates who attended the tests from 25 centres across 16 States through Google Hangouts. He collected the feedback from students and urged students to make good use of the Professor Assisted Learning (PAL) lectures on the Swayam platform.