#PostponeJEE_NEETinSept: SC advocate writes to PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Two days after the decision of the Supreme Court allowing the National Testing Agency to conduct JEE Main and NEET 2020 exams as per schedule, the student’s lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava has written to prime minister Narendra Modi and education minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ on August 19, 2020 requesting postponement. The letter requests the ministers to postpone the medical and engineering entrance tests, NEET and JEE Main 2020, scheduled in September, till after normalcy is restored. The COVID-19 outbreak had already led to postponements and now several states are facing floods.

The lawyer has tweeted that the letter will also be submitted to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and that he will approach SC again next week. The apex court on August 17, 2020, dismissed the plea filed by 11 students from across states to postpone JEE and NEET September exams. The SC said the careers of students cannot be jeopardised.

Through the letter, the advocate also suggests ‘special NEET JEE 2020 exams’ for students who cannot take the tests on the scheduled dates due to the coronavirus crisis. At least one exam centre should be provided in every district for the Joint Entrance Examination Main for engineering and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for medicine, the letter says.

Dear #NEET #JEE Friends

-I have submitted a letter to @narendramodi Ji @DrRPNishank Ji Today seeking Urgent relief for u

-Will also submit letter to NHRC today

-May approach SC again in next week

-Still Trying to get relief for u

-But u don’t stop studying

-Keep on studying pic.twitter.com/sIu9gLZIF5

— Alakh Alok Srivastava (@advocate_alakh) August 19, 2020

The demands from PM Modi

Apart from the postponement, the letter to PM Modi and Pokhriyal demands increase in the number of examination centres so that every district of India has at least one NEET or JEE examination centre.

If the tests must be held as per the existing schedule, the letter demands that a “Special NEET JEE exams - 2020” be organised later for those aspirants who miss the scheduled exams due to COVID-19.

NEET, JEE Main: Reasons for demanding postponement

Explaining the reasons for demanding postponement, Srivastava argues that it will be difficult to enforce social distancing norms at exam centres. Parents are likely to accompany the candidates and they can contract the virus from those who are asymptomatic and carry it back to their families.

Candidates from containment zones will find it difficult to appear for the tests; many more will be exposed to unsafe conditions in hostels, hotels or paying guest accommodations. Many students are “going through mental stress, anxiety and depression” due to the situation.

Finally, many NEET and JEE aspirants are in from regions affected by flooding and landslides and are “facing [a] humanitarian crisis”.

Through his tweet, Srivastava has said that they might file a plea in the Supreme Court again on JEE and NEET postponements.

Also read:

• Karnataka to revamp children’s sections of 5,600 panchayat libraries
• AIAPGET 2020: Plea filed by 17 doctors seeking postponement of the exam

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