E-Paper
JEE-Adv 2020 candidates request another attempt in 2022, write to JAB
Weeks after results of the Joint Entrance Examination-Advanced (JEE-Adv) were released, several students who cleared class 12 in 2020 are hoping to get another chance at the test in the next academic year.
Weeks after results of the Joint Entrance Examination-Advanced (JEE-Adv) were released, several students who cleared class 12 in 2020 are hoping to get another chance at the test in the next academic year.
Several students, in letters addressed to the Joint Admission Board (JAB) that looks into admissions to the premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), have requested that the authority considers them eligible for the same exam for a third attempt in 2022.
As per JEE rules, a student who clears class 12 is allowed three attempts at JEE Mains and two attempts at JEE-Adv, including the year they clear class 12 exam.
"Students who cleared class 12 in 2020 got two attempts at JEE in very troubled times. In 2020 the country was struggling with increasing Covid-19 cases and similarly the after effects of the second wave affected many students and their families personally. Several of us lost someone we know and love and amidst all this it became difficult to focus on studies," said Mohammad Areeb, who attempted JEE-Adv in 2020 as well as 2021. "Both years (2020 and 2022) the JEE-Adv exam was forced on students when they were least prepared and this has affected our overall performance."
Education institutes across India shut down from mid-March 2020 until early August 2020 due to a nationwide lockdown. Classes had to be shifted online inorder to avoid any more loss of academic time.
"Students in cities didn't face the problem of a digital divide that students in rural areas faced due to lack of basic amenities like a laptop or servers. Many students had to resort to self-studies to keep preparing for competitive exams and the effect was seen in our results. It is only fair that we be given another chance to fight for a place in IITs," said Saurab Kumar, another JEE examinee.
Last year, JAB allowed students who had successfully registered for the JEE-Adv in 2020 and couldn't appear for the paper after testing positive for Covid-19, to appear for JEE Adv 2021. Students are hopeful an exception can be made for others this year as well.
"Just because one didn't get Covid does not mean s/he was not affected by it. We sincerely request JAB to allow the JEE-Adv 2020 students to get one last chance in 2022 to try our luck and make it worth all the hard work we put into this exam for the past three years," added Kumar.
