NewDelhi August 23:Urging the government to listen to the Mann ki Baat of the students, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has lent a hand of support to the demand of the students to postpone JEE, NEET 2020, scheduled to be held in September.
JEE (Main) – entrance for engineering colleges – is scheduled to be held between September 1 and September 6. NEET – entrance for medical colleges – is scheduled to be held on September 13.
Students are demanding to postpone the exams, which were earlier scheduled to be held in April-May. But the National testing Agency, Medical Council of India have reiterated that the exam schedule can’t be postponed anymore as it would result in the loss of an academic year.
The Supreme Court, too, ruled that the exam dates can’t be postponed.
Several state-level entrance exams have been held during the lockdown. But this is the first time that such major national-level admission tests are being held, notwithstanding the COVID-19 situation of the states.
‘The government must arrive at an acceptable solution,’ Rahul Gandhi tweeted. Previously, Rahul opposed the UGC’s decision to hold final year examinations by September 30 – the issue is now pending in the Supreme Court.
Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has also urged the Centre to find an alternative as the situation is unprecedented.
Several lakhs of students will appear in these two career-defining exams, which will expose them to the virus. Many states are under lockdown with minimum public transport available. As for both the exams, the students have to reach the centres, it will lead to chaos and confusion.
BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has urged the Prime Minister to postpone the exams until Diwali.
आज हमारे लाखों छात्र सरकार से कुछ कह रहे हैं। NEET, JEE परीक्षा के बारे में उनकी बात सुनी जानी चाहिए और सरकार को एक सार्थक हल निकालना चाहिए।
GOI must listen to the #StudentsKeMannKiBaat about NEET, JEE exams and arrive at an acceptable solution.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 23, 2020