The TCS building in Hadapsar, NetQuiz in Swargate, and Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering in Ravet are among the centres hosting the JEE Main. Daily, over 4,000 candidates will sit for the exam in two slots — morning and afternoon — at these centres. To combat the diversions, students are planning to leave home early, check alternative routes, and even conduct trial visits to centres. Parents are also actively accompanying the scholars and tracking traffic updates. Candidates have been advised by centre heads to keep documents ready, allow for extra travel time, and stay calm to avoid last-minute stress. On Wednesday — when the exam began — the Pune police issued an advisory for JEE candidates, stating that no centres fall directly on the routes of the Pune Grand Tour’s stage 3 (Jan) 22 and stage 4 (Jan 23). So, students are expected to reach without difficulty. However, the advisory went on to caution, “As a large number of students from Pune city and surrounding areas will travel to appear for these exams, they are advised to reach their centres well in advance of reporting time to avoid delays or unnecessary stress.” JEE aspirant Aarav Kulkarni, “I stay in Kothrud and my exam centre is near Hadapsar. Normally, it takes around 45 minutes, but with road closures, I plan to leave home at least two hours early. We cannot afford to be late even by a minute.” The first session of the national-level JEE Main examination started from Jan 21. The exam, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), is a gateway for admission to premier engineering and technology institutions across the country. However, simultaneous hosting of the Pune Grand Tour has led to major traffic diversions and road closures across arterial routes, raising concerns among aspirants. Aware of the stakes, students are chalking out detailed travel plans well in advance. From Pimpri, Sneha Patil, who is appearing for the exam on Jan 22, said she has already checked traffic advisories and route maps. “My parents and I did a trial run to the centre on Wednesday. That gave us clarity on which roads to avoid,” she said. Students from eastern Pune echoed similar concerns. Rohit Saikia from Wagholi said, “The exam is stressful enough. Traffic issues add another layer of anxiety. Still, we are trying to stay calm and focus on revision.” Coaching institutes and schools also advised students to prioritise logistics along with academic preparation. Many centres circulated helpline numbers and suggested a buffer travel time of at least 60–90 minutes. “We are telling students to keep all documents ready a night before, sleep early, and not experiment with new routes on the exam day,” said a faculty member from a leading coaching institute in Shivajinagar. Parents, too, are playing a critical role in ensuring smooth coordination. Several took leave from work to personally accompany their children. “My son’s exam is in the morning shift, and due to road closures, we decided to stay near the centre for the night. It’s an important exam; convenience and peace of mind matter more than anything else,” said Meena Deshmukh, a parent from Baner. Despite the logistical hurdles, students remain determined. With lakhs of candidates appearing for JEE Main nationwide, the city’s aspirants are focusing on what they can control — revision, rest, and reaching the centre well in time.
