The announcement by NTA comes after messages were circulating on social media claiming voting will affect student’s eligibility to take exams (Representative image)
Voting will not affect their eligibility to take examinations such as NEET or JEE Main or any other exams conducted by NTA, it said
Students who vote in the General Elections and have their fingers inked will not be prohibited from entering examination halls, clarified the National Testing Agency (NTA). Voting will not affect their eligibility to take examinations such as NEET or JEE Main or any other exams that will be conducted by NTA. This announcement comes after messages were circulating on social media claiming voting will affect student’s eligibility to take exams. The NTA has said the messages are fake and it has not issued any such notice.
“It has been reported to the National Testing Agency, (NTA) that there are messages circulating in social media, claiming that individuals who vote in the General Elections to the Lok Sabha and have their fingers inked will be prohibited from entering examination halls of the examinations conducted by NTA,” reads the official notice by the agency.
“The above messages are completely baseless and NTA has not issued any such instruction/guideline. Students are requested not to pay heed to such rumors and exercise their voting right. Voting will not affect their eligibility to take examinations. The candidates are advised to focus on their studies and prepare for the forthcoming examinations,” the official notice added.
Meanwhile, as per data provided by the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, there are a total of 96.8 crore eligible voters for this year’s general elections. Out of the total, 49.72 crore are male voters, and 47.1 crore are female voters. While 19.74 crore are young voters, that is, they are below the age of 29. Furthermore, 1.85 crore Indians will be voting for the first time, that is, they are aged between 18 to 19 years as of January 1, 2024. Out of this, 85 lakh are first-time women voters. New voters who complete 18 years on April 1, July 1, and October 1 of any given year, and not just January 1, will be eligible for enrolling as first-time voters. Such candidates can apply in advance for the general elections. The EC received over 13.74 lakh advance applications from students above the age of 17 but below 18 years on January 1, 2024.
