It was only about a month ago that JEE Mains 2020 April/September exam was conducted after much deliberation.

What caused the delay was the outbreak of corona virus. It was in March this year that outbreak began and whole nation went into lockdown for more than five months.

Post conducting of JEE Advanced for this year, focus should have shifted to commencing registrations for JEE Mains 2021 (January).

JEE Mains 2021 registrations for January exam was supposed to begin in September this year.

The samething happened previous year where JEE Mains 2020 (January) registration commencement was announced in September 2019 itself.

JEE Mains 2020 January registration began in September 2 last year.

But this year, the JEE Mains 2020 April exam itself took place in September which is itself a delay. So, commencement of JEE Mains 2021 registration for January exam was perhaps delayed.

However, as all the work related to JEE Mains and JEE Advanced this year is over, National Testing Agency (NTA) could focus on commencing registrations for JEE Mains 2021 January exam soon.

Sources say, an announcement in this regard is likely to be made soon on the official website of the exam run by NTA which conducts the exam.

However there is no announcement as of now on the official website for the exam which can be accessed through url ‘https://jeemain.nta.nic.in/webinfo/public/home.aspx’

Considering the news doing rounds, an announcement could be made soon on the official website, candidates willing to apply for the exam are advised to visit the official website for any information regularly.

Also factors like reopening of schools, exam schedules for school board exams will all have an impact on exam dates of JEE Mains 2021.

That is not all, there is lot more to JEE Mains 2021 than meets the eye.

There is a good deal of talk that CBSE would bring down the syllabus to be taught for classes XI and XII during the academic year 2020-21.

Moreover, news is also doing rounds that education boards of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are going to reduce the syllabus.

Also read ‘Applicants of GATE 2021 can make corrections in the applications submitted by them earlier till 13 November‘

All these moves towards syllabus reduction only means one thing, the JEE Main 2021 syllabus and question paper are likely to be impacted.

While it could be too early to say anything in this regard as of now, one wise thing to do is to keep track of developments regularly and then plan preparation of JEE Mains 2021.

The important dates in connection with JEE Mains 2021 January session are:

$ The registration for the exam could begin by November this year.

$ The registration for JEE Mains 2021 could close by November end or by second week of December.

$ The last date for application fee submission could be in second week of December this year.

$ The facility to undertake correction could be opened by third week of November to second week of December.

$ The hall ticket could be made available for download in the third week of December this year.

$ JEE Mains 2021 exam could be held in second or third week of January next year.

The important dates in connection with JEE Mains 2021 April session are:

$ The registration for the exam could begin by first week of February 2021.

$ The registration for JEE Mains 2021 could close by first week of March next year.

$ The last date for application fee submission could be in second week of March next year.

$ The facility to undertake correction could be opened by second week of March 2021.

$ The hall ticket could be made available for download in the third week of March next year.

$ JEE Mains 2021 exam could be held in second week of April next year.

Candidates must remember that the above mentioned dates are just a guesswork, the dates in real-time are liable to change due to various reasons, applicants are advised to go the official website of JEE Mains 2021 for accurate information in this regard.

The qualification for applying for JEE Mains 2021 is as usual a pass in 12th exam with atleast 50 percent pass marks.

The subjects should be maths, physics in 12th standard if the applicant wishes to apply in pure engineering wings like civil, mechanical, electrical and computer science.

If the applicants wishes to do engineering in disciplines involving biotechnology, biology or Chemistry, then he or she must also have studied chemistry and biology in their 12th class along with maths and physics.

Applicants must have passed their 12th exam in 2019, 2020 or even those appearing for 12th exam in 2021 too can apply for JEE Mains 2021 January.

However, candidates who are appearing for 12th in 2021 while attending JEE Mains 2021 should be in a position to produce their 12th class marksheets and certificates at the time of admission.

There is no upper age limit for appearing in JEE Mains 2021.

Candidates who passed class 12 in 2019 or 2020 and who are appearing for class 12 in 2021 irrespective of their age can attend for JEE Mains 2021.

JEE Mains 2021 will have three papers namely, Paper1, Paper-2 and Paper-3.

Paper-1 is for those who wish to study engineering (BE/BTech) courses, Paper-2 is for those whish to study graduation in architecture (B.Arch) and Paper-3 is for the students who wish to pursue graduation in Planning (B.Planning).

Paper-1 will be of three hours duration and will be held in computer based mode. Mathematics and Aptitude of Paper-2 will be in computer based mode and Drawing test of Paper-2 will be held in pen and paper mode.

Paper-2 will have maths, aptitude test and drawing test questions. Paper-3 will have questions related to maths, aptitude and planning.

Paper-1 is for 300 marks, Paper-2 and Paper-3 are for 400 marks each.

Candidates have to apply for JEE Mains 2021 online by visiting the official website of the exam at ‘https://jeemain.nta.nic.in/webinfo/public/home.aspx’

Applicants must click the appropriate link on the official website and register themselves to obtain username and password.

Post obtaining of username and password, applicants can login and commence applying for the exam.

Designed to monitor the freshness of seafood in real-time by responding to pH changes, the film offers a practical solution for improving food safety and reducing waste.

This film detects the release of volatile amines, compounds typically associated with spoilage, and indicates food quality through visible color changes, say sources from NIT Rourkela.

These natural components make the film biodegradable, safe, and responsive, aligning with sustainability goals and offering a non-invasive way to assess seafood freshness.

Findings

The findings of this research have been published in the journal Food Packaging and Shelf Life in a paper co-authored by Prof. Preetam Sarkar (as the lead corresponding author), along with his research scholars, Mr. Rahul Thakur, Miss Harshi Singhi, Mr. Vedsagar Rajesh Suryavanshi, and Dr. Ravichandran Santhosh.

Other co-authors in this work include Dr. Khalid Gul from NIT Rourkela, Dr. Swarup Roy from Lovely Professional University, Dr. Srinivas Janaswamy from South Dakota State University, Brookings, USA and Dr. Kirtiraj K. Gaikwad from IIT Roorkee.

Fishing

India is the world’s second-largest fish-producing nation, contributing approximately 8% of global fish production, say NIT Rourkela researchers.

It also holds the distinction of being the top five producer of shrimp globally, with frozen shrimp being the top export commodity.

Given the scale and importance of seafood production, innovations that ensure freshness and reduce spoilage are of immense value, say NIT Rourkela researchers.

In this context, intelligent packaging systems, which preserve food while monitoring its quality, are rapidly gaining global interest.

Unlike conventional packaging that serves merely as a protective barrier, the intelligent packaging film developed by NIT Rourkela team offers visual cues about the product’s condition, making it a promising solution for enhancing food safety and reducing waste.

The beetroot peel extract was prepared separately, and then combined with the starch, gum tragacanth, and a small amount of glycerol to cast the films.

These were dried and tested for their pH-sensitivity and effectiveness in monitoring seafood freshness, said Prof Preetam of NIT Rourkela.

Pigments

Beetroot peels contain betalains, a group of pigments known for their bright colours and pH sensitivity, say NIT Rourkela researchers.

These pigments also offer antioxidant and antimicrobial benefits, making them suitable for food-related applications.

Incorporating these natural compounds into the starch-based film creates a biodegradable, safe, and responsive packaging material.

When the seafood begins to spoil and pH levels rise, the film changes colour, providing a clear visual indicator of freshness.

Starch

The choice of Kodo millet starch and gum tragacanth contributes to the film’s biodegradable and eco-friendly profile.

Kodo millet is an underutilised grain with excellent film-forming properties, while gum tragacanth enhances the mechanical strength and flexibility of the material.

The researchers believe that using such agricultural by-products not only supports sustainability but also adds value to food processing waste, such as beetroot peels.

At the laboratory scale, the cost of producing the film was estimated approximately Rs. 900 per kilogram.

When scaled up for industrial production, the cost is projected to range between Rs. 400 and Rs. 600 per kilogram, making it a potentially viable option for commercial use.

Also Read – NIT Rourkela develops great AI powered model