'Why Can't Exams Be Conducted With Precautions?' Says SC As It Junks Plea Seeking Postponement Of NEET, JEEE Main Exams

JEE Main, NEET SC Decision LIVE News: The Supreme Court dismissed today, the petition seeking the postponement of examination. Check below what the SC remarked.

India's supreme court building is pictured in New Delhi. FILE PIC/AFP.

JEE Main, NEET SC Decision LIVE News: Supreme Court today dismissed a petition seeking the postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), scheduled to be held in September 2020. The exams will now be held as per the schedule. Earlier this month, 11 students from different states had filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking the postponement of JEE (Main) April 2020 and NEET-Undergraduate examinations due to the rising Covid 19 cases in the country. Students in their petition had cited the worsening condition of the pandemic in the country for the deferment of the exams. They had said that the exams will put 'lives of lakhs of young students (including petitioners herein) at utmost risk and danger of disease and death. The petition also said that 'the best recourse at this stage can be to wait for some more time, let COVID-19 crisis subside and then only conduct these exams, in order to save lives of the students and their parents. But several parents had also submitted pleas in favour of the exams as they felt that cancellation or postponement may lead to loss of an academic year and impact the professional life of students. Here is what the Court said: As per a report in Live Law, Justice Arun Misra said on the plea seeking postponement of JEE/NEET 2020 Examinations: "Life should move on even in the times of Covid-19. Can we just stop exams? We should move on." Justice Misra said that if examinations are not conducted it will be a loss to the students as they will lose one academic year. He also said that aren't people demanding for the courts to re-open? Why cannot then exams be conducted with precautions, he asked. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that exams should be conducted and adequate precautions will be taken. Check the revised schedule for the exams JEE(Mains)- September 1-6 JEE-advanced- September 27. NEET examination- September 13. There is also delay in the release of admit cards which were expected to be out by August 15. It is likely that the cards may be released today, August 17.