NEET, JEE Exam Postponement: With Admit Cards Out Now, Will Demands For Deferment Of Exams Be Heard?

NEET And JEE Mains 2020 Admit Cards Released: Even after the government had confirmed that there will be no further changes in the NEET and JEE exam schedule, students have continued to protest and demand postponement. But now that admit cards of both exams have been releases, any further change seems unlikely.

Image (PTI)

NEET and JEE exam 2020: The National Testing Agency (NTA) today released the admit cards for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) admit cards. Students can now access the hall tickets on the official websites- https://www.nta.ac.in/ or ntaneet.nic.in. On August 17, the NTA had released the admit cards for JEE exams. As protests, the exams increases, the release of the admit cards indicates that there might be no further delays in the exams. On Tuesday the testing agency refused again to change the schedule of the exams as protests against it grew.  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. He wrote on his social media page: "It's my request to the government of India, to postpone the Neet/ JEE exams. He also added that the lives of students should not be put on risk. Even BJP leader Subramanian Swamy also raised his voice against the exams and shared on Twitter listed 13 reasons for the postponement of competitive exams this year considering circumstances induced by the Coronavirus pandemic which included transportation. While the NTA said it has “has prepared a comprehensive advisory regarding COVID-19 for all functionaries for centre management”. Students feel that it is not enough and is an unnecessary risk to students’ health. And many have taken to social media to raise their opinion. However, there are students who just can’t bear the stress over the exams and are willing to take the precautions to attend the exams. JEE aspirant Mohit Raj told The Times of India “The fear of Covid-19 infection will always be there till the vaccine is invented but I can’t bear the unending tension of exams anymore. I am mentally prepared to take the exam if it is not postponed.” He added, “I have been preparing for this for the last three years and I will take all the required precautions while going to my exam centre in Tatisilwai. The NEET and JEE exams were scheduled for July, but the HRD ministry later postponed it to September.  According to the revised schedule, the dates of the exams are JEE(Mains)- September 1-6, JEE-advanced- September 27, NEET examination- September 13.