Iran holding nationwide university entrance exams amid strict health protocols over virus outbreak
Iran has begun holding annual countrywide university entrance examinations for admission to higher education amid strict safety guidelines over a new coronavirus outbreak.
The nationwide exams — known as Konkour (from French Concours) — kicked off on Wednesday, with over 113,700 individuals vying for seats at art universities.
A total of 1,393,233 people are expected to compete at this year’s university entrance examinations, which will last until Saturday.
Speaking at Tehran’s Alzahra University on Wednesday, Ebrahim Khodaei, the head of the National Organization for Educational Testing, said the number of staff organizing and observing this year’s exams has increased to 175,000 from 78,000 last year.
Some 7,300 health experts, he added, will monitor the competition, through which 154,000 people will get admitted to universities.
This year, musallas and sports stadiums have been added to the locations where the exams are usually held, mainly university halls.
Social distancing rules are also being observed during the event, with the participants sitting at a distance of 1.8 meters from each other.
They are further provided with hygiene packs and obliged to wear face masks and gloves during the examination.
The exams were due to be held early in summer, but were postponed for more preparations to ensure the safety of the participants.
The coronavirus outbreak has so far infected 347,835 people and killed 19,972 others across Iran.
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