New Delhi [India], February 26 (ANI):Congress MP Manickam Tagore has urged the National Testing Agency (NTA) to extend the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains application deadline, citing technical issues that prevented many students from submitting their applications on time.

In a post on social media platform X, Tagore pointed out that server slowdowns affected thousands of students, particularly during the final moments of submission.

'Dear @dpradhanbjp Thousands of students faced issues submitting their #JEEMains application due to server slowdowns caused by last-minute traffic. To ensure fairness, NTA must extend the deadline by at least 2 days so no aspirant is left behind. Urgent action needed!' he tweeted.

Meanwhile, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has proposed a major change in the Class X examination system, introducing two board exams a year from the 2025-26 academic session.

The reform is claimed to be aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to reduce academic pressure by giving students an extra chance to improve their scores. The proposal was discussed during a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Education, chaired by the Union Minister of Education.

A draft policy on the reform was released on Tuesday and has been uploaded on the CBSE website (https://www.cbse.gov.in). Schools, teachers, parents, and students have been invited to share their feedback by March 9, 2025.

The NEP 2020 recommends holding Class X and XII board exams twice a year to reduce student stress and provide more opportunities for improvement. The policy encourages a shift from rote learning to competency-based assessment, allowing students to keep their best score while making exams more flexible and student-friendly.

According to the draft policy, the first phase of exams will take place from February 17 to March 6, while the second phase is scheduled from May 5 to May 20. In 2026, approximately 26.60 lakh Class X students and 20 lakh Class XII students are expected to take the exams. (ANI)