As Non-BJP CMs Plan To Move SC, Education Minister Says Parents Pressuring Govt To Conduct JEE, NEET Exams

The seven non-BJP Chief Ministers supported the call to postpone the upcoming NEET and JEE exams owing to the worsening COVID-19 situation in states.

(Representative Image/ AFP)

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing massive nation-wide protest against Centre's decision to hold the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) and the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) despite the long-continued Coroanvirus pandemic, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has claimed that the government is acting upon the demand of 'Parents'. In an interview with DD News, Ramesh Pokhriyal on Wednesday said, "Students and guardians constantly put pressure on us to conduct the examinations." Reiterating Supreme Court's verdict, the minister said that a full year couldn’t be wasted and life had to go on despite the pandemic. He also mentioned that 85 per cent, that is 7.25 lakh candidates of the total 8.85 lakh students who registered for JEE, have already downloaded the admit cards. His remarks have come after the Chief Ministers of seven states today once again raised their concerns and decided to move a petition in the Supreme Court in this regard. Non-BJP CMs Unite To Support The Call To Postpone NEET & JEE 2020 As the chorus for postponement of NEET & JEE entrance examinations grows louder, the opposition parties have put up a united front to raise concerns over conducting tests at a time when India is reporting record number of single-day cases of Covid-19. In a virtual meeting called by Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi -- to discuss the upcoming entrance exams and delay in GST compensation --the seven non-BJP Chief Ministers supported the call to postpone the upcoming exams owing to the worsening COVID-19 situation in states. The meeting was attended by West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Chattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and V Narayanasamy in Puducherry. During the discussion, Mamata Banerjee urged all the states to come together and move the Supreme Court for the deferment of this year's NEET and JEE exams. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also suggested that states should approach the Supreme Court to stop these examinations. Activists, Bollywood Celebs & Politicians Support Students Demand  In fact, environmental activist Greta Thunberg also lent her support to students demanding postponement of NEET and JEE exams. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee have also written a letter to the Prime Minister for postponement of the exams. Bollywood actor Sonu Sood also supported the students' plight and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Ministry of India to postpone the NEET and JEE exams. Previously, Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy came out in support of students - asking the union government to listen to their plight. On Tuesday the testing agency refused again to change the schedule of the exams as protests against it grew. According to the revised schedule, the dates of the exams are JEE(Mains)- September 1-6, JEE-advanced- September 27, NEET examination- September 13.