JEE Main, NEET 2020: Another group files PIL to prevent postponement

NEW DELHI: Another group of parents has moved the Supreme Court to prevent further postponement of the engineering and medical entrance exams, JEE Main and NEET 2020, reports Bar & Bench. This is the second such petition. Earlier in August, a group of parents from Gujarat had similarly petitioned the Supreme Court to ensure the exams are held.

These petitions follow that of 11 students from 11 states who had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) case in Supreme Court on August 6. They had demanded that the JEE Main and NEET 2020 be postponed to December. The group also wrote to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Education requesting them to consider postponing. That case is set for hearing on August 17.

The exam dates had already been revised due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in India. The National Testing Agency (NTA) issued the last exam dates in July. The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main is now scheduled to be held over September 1-6 and the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET), on September 13. Around 25 lakh applicants have registered to write them.

Debate over JEE Main, NEET 2020 postponement

There has been fierce debate on postponement of NEET and JEE Main 2020 over the past few weeks. Those in favour of postponement argue that writing exams during the pandemic puts their lives at risk. The petitioners have argued that there aren’t enough exam centres in some states and they have concerns about their safety inside and outside exams centres and in the transportation facilities.

Those against postponement argue that they have spent years in preparation for these exams, that their careers are at stake and that it would still be possible to salvage the academic year if exams are held now. They have argued that “every delay at any stage of the admission process will have a direct and adverse impact upon the academic year of the students”, reports Bar & Bench.

Meanwhile, as per statements made at the time the NTA issued the schedule, the NTA is expected to issue the JEE Main admit card soon.

Also read:

• SC hearing on UGC today, same group writes to MHA about JEE Main, NEET
• Why it took Kerala’s Elambra 35 years to get a primary school

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