6 States File Review Petition in SC for Postponement of JEE, NEET | Six states have filed a review petition against a previous order by Supreme Court. West Bengal, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand and Punjab seek postponement of exams.

7 Non-BJP CMs to Jointly Move SC for Postponement of NEET, JEE Exams | Supporting the demand for postponement of NEET and JEE examinations in view of the coronavirus pandemic, seven chief ministers of non-BJP ruled states on Wednesday decided to jointly move the Supreme Court on the issue. Parties like the DMK and AAP also joined the growing chorus against the holding of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) at a time when COVID-19 cases were rising across the country.

RECAP | Observing that life has to go on with all precautions in place, the Supreme Court had on August 17 refused to postpone National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) examinations, scheduled for September. A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra said the court was mindful of the COVID-19 pandemic but a whole year of students could not go waste, thereby jeopardising their career prospects.

What are Students’ Concerns Against NEET, JEE Exams? Lack of transport facilities to reach examination centres, fear of contracting COVID-19, and writing exams while wearing masks and hand gloves are some of the concerns being raised by NEET and JEE-Mains aspirants who want the exams to be postponed amid the pandemic. The Left-affiliated All India Students’ Association on Thursday held a protest on Twitter using the hashtags #Rise_AgainstExamsInCovid, #JEENEET, #neetjeepostpone, #PostponeJEE_NEETinCOVID and #NEETJEEpostponekaro. Students wore black bands and masks and posted pictures demanding that the exams be postponed amid the pandemic.

Virendra Tewari on NEET, JEE Row | Professor Virendra Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur said today – “I have been observing the recent debate on JEE and NEET. It is in fact quite interesting to see views coming from a section of the engineering and medical aspirants and also from a section of people who are anxious about the present pandemic situation. I would like to convey my best wishes to all the students who have been preparing sincerely for these examinations. Conducting JEE and NEET is critical, without which admissions cannot be held in institutions like IITs and top medical colleges. The aspirants need to put their faith in the organizing bodies who have been working incessantly to offer a safe environment towards the logistical requirements for holding these examinations under the current situation.”

BJP’s Amit Malviya Blames Rahul Gandhi on NEET, JEE Row | BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya today said – “If JEE/NEET exam is not held even in September, it would mean a massive financial and psychological burden for students. But with its cheap and dangerous brand of politics, Rahul Gandhi is willing to push two entire batches of students into unmitigated disaster.”

Karnataka to Reopen Colleges for Physical Classes even as Row over NEET-JEE Continues | Even as a debate raged nationally over the issue of holding NEET and JEE examinations amid the coronavirus pandemic, the BJP Karnataka government announced to reopen regular classes in degree colleges from October 1. Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan said on Wednesday the department of Higher Education would, however, await guidelines from the central government on reopening of the colleges which have remained shut since March in view of COVID-19 lockdown, indicating a final call would be taken later.

‘Ridiculous, Irrational Arguments by BJP’ | SP Leader Akhilesh Yadav said yesterday – “This ridiculous and irrational thing is being spread by the BJP that when people are leaving the house for other work then why can’t they take the exam. The BJP also forgot about the power that people are leaving under compulsion and those who want to protect themselves by staying at home, your government is forcing them to come out in the name of examination. In such a situation, if a candidate, the guardian who comes with them, or the elders of the house who came in contact with them after returning home got an infection, will this government pay the price?”

‘BJP Should Deploy Its MPs, MLAs Outside Centres’: Akhilesh Yadav | “If the BJP feels that it is conducting such fatal examinations on popular demand to the candidates and parents, then they should deploy their cabinet ministers, MPs and MLAs outside the centers, where there will be no rules-law and SOP. Also, the government should make arrangements for fooding and lodging of students in the same way as they do during the purchase and sale of MLAs,” SP leader Akhilesh Yadav said. 

MK Stalin Against Exams Being Held in Covid-19 | Welcoming the decision of the Chief Ministers of seven states to approach the Supreme Court against the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Exam (JEE), DMK President MK Stalin has urged Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana and Kerala to also approach the apex court with a similar plea.

Rahul Gandhi:’Speak Up for Student Safety’ | As Congress launches its nationwide protest against the JEE, NEET exams being conducted amid Covid-19, leader Rahul Gandhi shared a video of the campaign titled ‘Speak up for Student Safety’ on Twitter.

Unite your voice with lakhs of suffering students. #SpeakUpForStudentSafety from 10am onwards.
Let’s make the Govt listen to the students.

लाखों परेशान छात्रों के साथ अपनी आवाज़ जोड़िए। #SpeakUpForStudentSafety आज 10 बजे से।
आइए, सरकार से छात्रों की बात सुनने की माँग करें। pic.twitter.com/NBri5lx8Ff

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 28, 2020

‘Centre Playing With Millions of Lives’ | Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar on Thursday accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of “playing with the lives” of youths by being “adamant” on holding JEE-NEET exams amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Jakhar’s reaction came a day after Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asked his state advocate general to coordinate with his counterparts in other Opposition-ruled states for filing a joint review petition in the Supreme Court for the deferment of the all-India joint entrance tests for graduation courses in medicines and engineering amid the pandemic.

Self-undertaking at Exam Centre | The aspirants will have to submit a self-declaration form with a photograph, stating that they have not tested positive for the novel coronavirus and have not experienced any symptoms like fever, cough or breathing-related issues in the recent days. This undertaking will have to be presented at the examination centre. 

Meanwhile, Students Protest | The National Testing Agency (NTA)’s decision to go ahead with the NEET and JE exams has caused a massive upheaval with students across the country who are engaging in online protest, demanding postponement or cancellation of exams given the alarming rise in coronavirus cases. Several opposition leaders as well as state government have also asked the Centre to do a rethink on the exams as the Covid-19 cases continue to surge.

What Safety Measures Have Been Put in Place? The National Testing Agency (NTA) has made adequate arrangements for maintaining social distancing norms in the examinations centre for JEE (Mains) and NEET (UG), which are scheduled from September 1-6 and September 13, respectively. “For ensuring social distancing outside the examination hall, the entry and exit of candidates has been staggered. Adequate arrangements have also been made outside the examination centres to enable candidates to stand with adequate social distancing while waiting,” said the NTA statement. Ensuring the social distancing norms in case of JEE (Main), the NTA has decided to make candidates sit in alternate seats.

Greta Thunberg Against Exams Being Held | Famous environmental activist Greta Thunberg had previously also tweeted against holding the NEET, JEE exams amid Covid-19, and floods. 

It’s deeply unfair that students of India are asked to sit national exams during the Covid-19 pandemic and while millions have also been impacted by the extreme floods. I stand with their call to #PostponeJEE_NEETinCOVID

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) August 25, 2020

What is the Government Saying? NTA Director General Vineet Joshi, in an interview to state broadcaster Doordarshan detailed on the strength and coordination with local authorities to ensure safe conduct of the examinations. “These are national-level examinations and the authorities have been preparing for quite some time, which requires logistical thinking. I am not preparing for exams in about a day or two. We kept the pandemic and norms of social distancing in mind,” he said. “We cannot lose more time in worrying about natural disasters like floods, nobody can foresee anything, we can work in saving the academic calendar, it is good for students,” Joshi added.

Why Do Students Want Exams Postponed? After the Ministry of Education’s NTA said that JEE (Main) and the NEET (UG) will be conducted in September, as scheduled, protests erupted on social media, with candidates seeking the postponement of the exams till the Covid-19 pandemic ebbs and the flood-related situation in many states across the country improves. Applicants have also expressed concerns about issues such as about lack of transportation and inevitable crowding if the exams are not postponed.

Police Beat SP Workers Protesting Against Holding NEET & JEE | Police on Thursday resorted to lathi-charge to disperse Samajwadi Party workers, protesting before the Raj Bhawan in Lucknow against the Centre’s decision to hold all-India joint entrance examinations for graduation courses in medicines and engineering in September amid the pandemic. SP workers of party’s student wing reached the Raj Bhawan in the afternoon and started raising slogans for organising the NEET and JEE amid the pandemic at “considerable” risks to students.

Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Says ‘Students Want Exams’ | Over 17 lakh candidates have already downloaded their admit cards for JEE and NEET, and this shows that the students want the exams to be conducted at any cost, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ said on Thursday. The minister’s comments come against the backdrop of a growing chorus for postponement of the medical and engineering entrance exams in view of spike in COVID-19 cases. “National Testing Agency (NTA) officials told me that over 7 lakh candidates have downloaded JEE-Main admit cards while over 10 lakh aspirants have downloaded NEET admit cards. This shows that students want the exams be held at any cost,” Pokhriyal said.

Congress to Hold Nationwide Protest Today | The Congress on Wednesday announced that it will hold countrywide protests today to oppose the government’s decision to hold NEET, JEE exams during the pandemic. In a statement AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said the move is in line with concerted opposition to this “dictatorial move” of the government. State units of the Congress will be holding protests on Friday at 11 am in front of central government offices at state and district headquarters, he said.

Left Parties Oppose Exams Being Held Amid Covid-19 | The Left parties on Thursday opposed the Centre’s decision to hold the JEE and NEET exams in September amid the COVID-19 pandemic and said it completely undermines the health concerns of students.”Holding NEET-JEE exams now, with growing infections & deaths, would jeopardise the health of young aspirants. Reschedule these exams in a manner that an academic year is not lost,” said CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury in a tweet.