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Will the government postpone JEE Main and NEET exams? Even though the National Testing Agency (NTA) remains firm on its stand to go ahead with the examinations in September, students are still hopeful for a decision in their favor as political parties huddle for a meeting today. Congress President Sonia Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will convene the virtual meet, slated to begin at 2.30 pm, will have at least 7 CMs onboard. While the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) is scheduled from September 1-6, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) is planned on September 13.
Earlier on Tuesday, the NTA had said that the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) and the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) will be conducted in September as scheduled. The agency said it has planned several steps to conduct the papers safely which include increasing the number of examination centers, alternate seating plan, fewer candidates per room and staggered entry and exit.
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Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has reiterated his demand that medical and engineering entrance exams NEET and JEE be postponed and the Central government work on alternative methods for selecting students. "They (Centre) are saying protocols will be followed. Following the same protocols that the Centre wants 28 lakh students to follow, lakhs of Indians have tested positive," Sisodia told reporters.
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Earlier on Tuesday, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had defended the move to conduct the all-India exams as a result of "constant pressure from parents and students."
"We have been under constant pressure from parents and students asking why we are not allowing JEE and NEET. The students were very worried. In their minds they were thinking for how long will they continue to study," Nishank told DD News.
- "We have some hopes as India is a democratic country and support of state governments is a must. The government has to discuss with them and find out a solution," Advocate Anubha Shrivastava Sahai, the chief of India Wide Parents' Association, told India TV.
- "Good that many chief ministers are going to review the situation today in their states to postpone JEE and NEET exams. Many of us are trying at our levels. But my sincere request to every NEET and JEE aspirant is, please focus on your studies, don't take too much stress," Supreme Court senior advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, who appeared for students, told India TV.
- So far, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written twice to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the holding of JEE/NEET
- examinations during the ongoing pandemic and sought his intervention.
- Several students and political leaders across the country, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and DMK President M K Stalin, have urged the central government to postpone the examination until the spread of the COVID-19 was brought under control.
- Earlier on Tuesday, Swedish teen climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg threw her weight behind postponing the NEET and the JEE exams in India in view of the coronavirus, saying it is “deeply unfair” that students are asked to appear in the crucial tests during the pandemic.
- "Government should postpone NEET JEE Exams due to flood situation in villages and Covid-19," a student wrote on Twitter.
- Citing COVID-19 risk, students have been demanding postponement of both JEE and NEET entrance examinations. Students have also been raising concerns such as transportation, floods and more.
- “Additionally, in case of JEE-Mains, the number of shifts has been increased from the earlier 8 to 12, and the number of candidates per shift has been reduced from earlier 1.32 lakh to 85,000 now," the NTA had said.
- On Tuesday, the NTA had said the number of examination centers have been increased from 570 to 660 (for JEE Main) and 2,546 to 3843 (for NEET).
- Sonia Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee will convene a meeting of 7 CMs at 2.30 pm to discuss issues including JEE Main and NEET exams.
