Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched a new mobile app named - the ‘National Test Abhyas'. The App has been developed by National Testing Agency-NTA to enable candidates to take mock tests for upcoming exams such as JEE Main and NEET under the NTA’s purview.

The app has been launched to facilitate candidates’ access to high quality mock tests as there was a demand for making up the loss to students due to closure of educational institutions and NTA’s Test-Practice Centers due to the lockdown. Students across the country can use the App to access high quality tests, free of cost, in a bid to be fully prepared for the upcoming JEE, NEET and other competitive exams. The tests can be easily downloaded.

Speaking at the occasion, the HRD Minister said, this timely launch is designed to ensure that no student is left behind in getting exposure to practice testing, especially when student's loss due to closure of educational institutions is to be compensated.

In another initiative,J&K starts  SUKOON’ for the UT.In order to spread awareness about psychological impact of lockdown and measures to be adopted to overcome them, Department of Information and Public Relations, J&K has started an initiative ‘SUKOON’ - COVID-19 Beat the Stress".

AIR Correspondent reports that the programme will be telecast on Doordarshan Kashir Channel every Tuesday at 9.00 PM during which psychiatrists, eminent doctors and scientists will share their knowledge on psychological health and how to keep the mind anxiety free and the measures which people can adopt to keep stress level under control. The aim is to ensure that people stay mentally fit and cope with the fears related to COVID-19 with a sound mind.

This initiative is in line with the growing concern that COVID-19 pandemic and the prolonged lockdown has resulted in tremendous stress among various sections of the society. Parents, care givers and children are the greatest victims of lockdown as they grapple with restricted movement and not being allowed to meet with friends and socialize. DIPR, J&K is also looking at telecasting such programmes on a daily basis to reach out to the people of the UT.

Recently,J&K Government has issued fresh classification of districts in order to implement the lockdown 4.0 .The Department of Disaster Management, Relief Rehabilitation & Reconstruction State Executive Committee which is headed by Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam has announced classification of districts in UT as Red, Orange and Green for the purpose of implementing the lockdown. All the districts of Kashmir province, except Ganderbal and Bandipora are listed as Red zones, whileas Kathua, Samba and Ramban districts of Jammu Province have been declared Red zones. Similarly, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Reasi, Udhampur and Jammu districts have been declared under Orange category.

Likewise, Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch and Rajouri districts are put in Green category. This categorization of districts into Red, Orange and Green will be followed for the purposes of implementation of permitted activities in the respective districts, as per a separate order, to be issued by the State Executive Committee. The classification of districts will be reviewed periodically and any further modifications will be made by the Government keeping in view any further developments or instructions from MoHFW/MHA, Govt. of India.