'Rescheduling Allowed For JEE (Main) Candidates Unable To Appear On Easter,' Says Union Minister Suresh Gopi

Thiruvananthapuram: Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Friday said the Centre has agreed to allow rescheduling of the JEE (Main) 2026 examination for candidates unable to appear on April 5, which falls on Easter Sunday.

In a Facebook post, the Minister of State for Tourism & Petroleum and Natural Gas, said the scheduling of the second phase of the JEE (Main) exams between April 2 and 10, including April 5, had caused concern among members of the Christian community as it coincides with Holy Week.

He said he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan seeking urgent intervention in the matter, taking into account a representation submitted by Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos.

According to Gopi, Pradhan informed him over the phone that students who are unable to appear for the exam on April 5 would be given an opportunity to apply for a change of date.

Students seeking rescheduling have been asked to send their details to the email address jeemain.query@nta.ac.in, he said.

The last date to submit the request is March 28, 2026.

Gopi also thanked the central government and the Ministry of Education for addressing the concerns of students and the community.

Earlier, Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) a key body of the Catholic Church in Kerala, had urged authorities to reschedule the all-India engineering entrance examinations slated to be held on Christian holy days such as Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday.