The Congress on Wednesday hit out at the Centre saying the government is putting the health and safety of nearly 25 lakh students in jeopardy by conducting Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in September.

Party’s national spokesperson Randeep Surjewala’s tweets came hours after an opposition meeting convened by Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi decided to move the Supreme Court to review its decision rejecting the plea to postpone the engineering and medical entrance tests in the country.

In a series of tweets, Surjewala accused the “obstinate Modi Govt” of refusing to listen to students’ grievances and thereafter coming up with a universally acceptable solution.

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“Health & safety of 25 lakh students is being jeopardised in the ensuing #JEE_NEET exams. Students are protesting across the country.Why is an obstinate Modi Govt even refusing to listen to their grievances, deliberate upon them and find a solution acceptable to all?,” he wrote on the microblogging site.

Health & safety of 25 lakh students is being jeopardised in the ensuing #JEE_NEET exams.

Students are protesting across the country.

Why is an obstinate Modi Govt even refusing to listen to their grievances, deliberate upon them and find a solution acceptable to all?
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— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) August 26, 2020

He also pointed towards the plight of students who have been holding virtual protests seeking postponement of the two exams amid the coronavirus outbreak. Members of the Congress-affiliated NSUI on Wednesday began an indefinite hunger strike demanding the deferment of exams and a fee waiver for six months during the pandemic.

At a time when there are over 3.23 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 in India, Surjewala questioned the government if it was ready to guarantee that the candidates appearing for exams and the faculty at the exam centre will not get infected with the virus.

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On the safety protocols put in place to prevent the spread of the disease, he asked the Centre as to who was going to oversee if the guidelines were actually being practised and not remained a formality on paper.

“Will Modi Govt guarantee that no student of #JEE_NEET or faculty will catch COVID infection during the exam? What safety precautions & protocols have been put in place? Who will oversee that the guidelines & protocols do not remain an empty paper formality?,” he tweeted.

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Will Modi Govt guarantee that no student of #JEE_NEET or faculty will catch COVID infection during the exam?

What safety precautions & protocols have been put in place?

Who will oversee that the guidelines & protocols do not remain an empty paper formality?

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) August 26, 2020

Surjewala also brought to the Centre’s notice that the candidates may face trouble in commuting given the travel restrictions in place and enquired if any special arrangements were made for those in the flood affected states like Bihar and Assam.

“Due to #COVID__19, transportation across the country has either not started or normalised. How will #JEENEET students arrive at the destination with absolute safety & return? What arrangements have been made for their stay etc.? Has Modi Govt left the students in the lurch?” he said.

“What are the spl arrangements for students of flood affected #Bihar & #Assam ? Are there only 2 centres set up in the State of Bihar for NEET examination? Does it not mean a virtual denial of opportunity to students from Bihar?,” he added.

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What are the spl arrangements for students of flood affected #Bihar & #Assam ?

Are there only 2 centres set up in the State of Bihar for NEET examination?

Does it not mean a virtual denial of opportunity to students from Bihar?

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) August 26, 2020

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Due to #COVID__19, transportation across the country has either not started or normalised.

How will #JEENEET students arrive at the destination with absolute safety & return? What arrangements have been made for their stay etc.?

Has Modi Govt left the students in the lurch?

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) August 26, 2020

The Opposition meeting earlier in the day and Surjewala’s sharp remarks came after the National Testing Agency (NTA) also on Tuesday refused to defer the exam schedule citing the apex court order stating “a crucial year of students cannot be wasted and life has to go on.”

Nearly 8.58 lakh and 15.97 lakh candidates have registered for the JEE (Main) and NEET examinations respectively.