NEW DELHI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- India on Tuesday began holding entrance exam for admission to engineering courses - Joint Entrance Exams (JEE), in spite of opposition from some students and political bodies.

The exam will last until Sept. 6.

The decision to hold exam was taken by India's National Testing Agency (NTA), a body in charge of conducting competitive entrance tests after the country's Supreme Court last month rejected a petition seeking its postponement in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Authorities said the exam was being conducted in strict adherence to the safety measures and norms of social distancing.

The exam has been previously deferred twice.

Around 858,000 candidates have registered for JEE-Main.

The NTA had released an extensive list of guidelines and rules for students taking the exam, including mandatory use of face masks and gloves and carrying individual supplies of hand sanitizer and a water bottle.

On Tuesday morning aspirants wearing facemasks and gloves were seen entering the exam centers set up in different cities across the country. Officials said before entering the exam halls, body temperature of students were checked.

Last week the chief ministers of six opposition-ruled states approached the Supreme Court asking for a review of its Aug. 17 order allowing the exams.

After the culmination of JEE, the NTA will be holding entrance exams for the medical courses - National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) on Sept. 13. Authorities said over 1.5 million have registered for NEET exam.

India is in the grip of COVID-19 pandemic and the caseload stayed high.

On Tuesday the number of COVID-19 cases in the country reached 3,691,166, including 65,288 deaths.