The Centre has agreed to allow the rescheduling of the JEE (Main) 2026 exam for candidates who are unable to appear on April 5 (Easter Sunday), Union Minister Suresh Gopi said on Friday, addressing concerns raised by the Christian community.
In a social media post, Gopi, Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum & Natural Gas, said the scheduling of the JEE Main 2026 session 2 exams between April 2 and April 10, including key Holy Week dates, had caused widespread concern among students and community leaders.
According to the minister, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan confirmed that students unable to appear for the exam on April 5 will be given an option to request a change of exam date. Candidates seeking rescheduling have been asked to submit their details via email to [email protected], with the deadline set for March 28, 2026. Gopi said he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Education Minister, urging intervention after receiving a representation from Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos.
The appeal highlighted the overlap of the engineering entrance exam with significant Christian observances, including Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday. Earlier, the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) had urged authorities to reschedule the JEE Main examination dates falling during important religious days, citing inconvenience for students observing Holy Week. Welcoming the decision, Gopi thanked the Ministry of Education and the central government for responding promptly to student concerns and ensuring flexibility in the examination process.
