West Bengal weighing options to hold university exams before puja: CM

Banerjee slammed Union government's "adamant approach" to conduct exams amid coronavirus pandemic.(Source: PTI)

Press Trust of India | August 28, 2020 | 05:20 PM IST

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that her government was weighing the pros and cons of holding final-year college and university exams before Durga Puja in October.

She slammed the Centre over its decision to conduct JEE and NEET exams in September and said the Union government's "adamant approach" will add to the COVID-19 woes.

"I have told our education minister to look into the possibility of conducting the final-year exams in universities and colleges before Durga Puja in October.

The options of both online and offline exams should be looked into. "We are not against any exam; we are just saying that a pandemic is on, and it could put lives of students at risk," Banerjee said while addressing a virtual rally of Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP).

Final-year exams

The Supreme Court ruled earlier in the day that states and universities cannot promote students without holding final-year exams by September 30.

The court said if any state feels it can't conduct exams by September 30, it must approach the UGC for new dates. Criticising the Centre over its decision to hold JEE- NEET exams in September, Banerjee said, "We asked the Union government to defer the process due to the pandemic. But the Union government is adamant... It is busy issuing sermons instead of listening to Mann ki Baat of students."

Ministers of six opposition-ruled states, including West Bengal, moved the Supreme Court on Friday seeking review of its order permitting the Centre to conduct NEET and JEE entrance exams this year, amid the pandemic.