In the midst of widespread opposition to the decision to conduct NEET-JEE exams during the pandemic, more than 100 educationalists wrote to the Prime Minister in support of the exams.
NEET-JEE aspirants are worried about their health & future.
They have genuine concerns of:
– fear of Covid19 infection
– transport & lodging during pandemic
– flood-mayhem in Assam & Bihar.GOI must listen to all stakeholders & find an acceptable solution.#AntiStudentModiGovt
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 26, 2020
Many educationalists including professors from Delhi University, JNU, Kerala Central University, and the University of California have written to the PM saying that the government should conduct the exams this year so that students are not set back by a year.
They wrote that the exams should be conducted as there should be no compromise with the future of the students, and chalked up the opposition to the exams as some people using student’s futures to further their own political agendas and oppose the central government. They wrote that they believe that the central government will successfully conduct the exams and that after the exams, the academic calendar for 2020-21 should also be ascertained.
The Supreme Court has also dismissed a petition to postpone the exams, saying that any delay in conducting the exams will lead to the loss of a year’s time. The letter also wrote that while the students are the future of the country, the uncertainty brought by the COVID-19 pandemic hangs over their future careers. They also said that apprehensions about admissions and classes should be addressed soon.
The educationalists who signed the letter include Professor C.B. Sharma of IGNOU, Professor Prakash Singh of DU, Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi Central University in Bihar, Professor Sanjiv Sharma, Professor Jayprasad of Kerala Central University, and Professor Ainul Hasan of JNU.
The JEE-Main which was originally scheduled in April, and the NEET-UG which was originally scheduled in May, have both been postponed multiple times due to the pandemic and are currently scheduled for September. 9.53 Lakh candidates have registered for JEE-Mains and 15.97 lakh students have registered for NEET.
There has been widespread opposition against the exams due to concerns about safety, transport, and lodging, all of which are under question during the pandemic and the lockdown. Chief ministers of seven non-BJP State governments under TMC, Congress, Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress, and JMM, have decided to jointly move the Supreme Court on the issue and the Congress party has announced nation-wide protests in support of the students.
