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Despite furore, JEE, NEET to be held in September
The apex examination agency, NTA, said that NEET will be held on September 13 and JEE will be held from September 1 to September 6.
Despite growing opposition from several quarters, the National Testing Agency (NTA) – which is tasked with conducting various entrance examinations – on Tuesday announced that it would conduct the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) as per the schedule. The apex examination agency said that NEET will be held on September 13 and JEE will be held from September 1 to September 6.
This comes after thousands of students, parents, activists and politicians across the country have been calling for postponement of the two major entrance exams amid the Covid-19 crisis. Till Tuesday morning, India has reported over 3.23 million cases and over 53% of the country lives in places under either complete, partial, or weekend lockdown. Out of the 734 districts in the country, lockdown orders are in place for 345 – forcing students to rethink their decision of appearing for the entrance exams.
WHY ARE STUDENTS UP IN ARMS AGAINST THE EXAMS?
On August 17, the Supreme Court rejected the plea seeking postponement of these exams saying a crucial year of students “cannot be wasted” and life has to go on. Nineteen-year-old Deva Mashkoor, a medical aspirant from Anantnag in Kashmir, has been anxious ever since.
“The exam centre is 150 km from my house. Since no public transport is available and we cannot afford a cab, I have to take a lift from someone to reach the centre during a pandemic which puts my health at risk. I don’t know how things will unfold,” said Mashkoor, who was preparing for his entrance exams in Delhi when the nationwide lockdown to restrict the spread of Covid-19 disease was announced in March.
“I returned months ago and haven’t been able to prepare ever since due to lack of access to the internet here. It would be better if we could go to Delhi and take the exam there when things become normal. It will be so difficult to do so now amid so many restrictions,” he said.
Thousands of engineering and medical aspirants have taken to social media platforms to express their anger towards the decision to hold exams during a pandemic. Danish Khan, a resident of Bhagalpur in Bihar, said, “The exam is starting to feel like a matter of life and death now. My family isn’t allowing me to appear for my papers as we live in a joint family. If I contract the disease, I may pass on the infection to the elderly in my family. The standard operating procedures put in place by NTA are of little comfort since we have seen them fail in various state exams such as ComedK UGET and UP B.Ed.”
Candidates are also demanding cancellation of the entrance exam this year in view of the pandemic. Hitesh Gupta, a JEE aspirant from Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly, said, “The cases of Covid-19 are increasing day by day in our state. How can the government put our lives in danger by conducting exams amid a pandemic? Why can’t they come up with some alternative way of admission as a one-time measure this year?”
Various students’ associations have also been rallying for the cause. N Sai Balaji, president of the All India Students Association, said, “We have been receiving messages from students across the country who are extremely disheartened and depressed. We have been holding fasts and online protests to demand that the government should rethink this decision of holding exams during a health crisis.” Congress’s student body, National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), will also be holding relay hunger strikes beginning Wednesday. The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has also been campaigning against the exams on social media.
WHAT ARE THE MEASURES BEING TAKEN TO CONDUCT THE EXAMS?
The NTA, the central government body which conducts exams, has formulated a special standard operating procedure to conduct the exams. In addition to making masks, gloves, thermo-guns, and sanitisation mandatory at the centres, NTA has also increased the number of centres to meet the social distancing requirements for over 858,000 JEE applicants and 1,597,000 NEET applicants.
“The number of examination centers have also been increased from 570 to 660 (in case of JEE Main) and from 2,546 to 3,843 (in case of NEET (UG) 2020). JEE (Main) is Computer Based Test (CBT) and NEET (UG) is pen paper-based test. Additionally, in case of JEE (Main), the number of shifts has been increased from 8 to 12, and the number of candidates per shift has been reduced from earlier 132,000 to 85,000,” the NTA said in a statement on Tuesday.
“In order to ensure proper social distancing inside the examination halls, the candidates will be seated in alternate seats in case of JEE (Main). In case of NEET (UG), the number of candidates per room has been reduced from 24 to 12. For ensuring social distancing outside the examination hall, the entry and exit of candidates has been staggered,” the statement added.
NTA director general Vineet Joshi had earlier told HT that hand-held metal detectors installed on a stick will be used for contactless frisking while maintaining distance. “These devices too will be sanitised at regular intervals. Admit cards will have specific barcodes which will be scanned and rooms will be allotted to students accordingly,” he said.
WHY ARE EXAMS BEING HELD DURING A PANDEMIC?
V Ramgopal Rao, director at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, said, “The consequences of postponing these exams any further can have serious repercussions on IIT academic calendars and for the candidates. The delay can impact the careers of so many bright students. We have already lost six months. If we conduct the exams in September, we can at least start the sessions in IITs, even if online, in December.”
“As far as JEE Mains is concerned, the exam is now conducted multiple times in a year. In case some students cannot write the JEE Mains this time, they can take the exam after six months again. I don’t see any reason for a concern,” he added.
IIT-D will also be organising the JEE (advance) exams this year. “I assure every one that IITs will put their best foot forward in organising the JEE Advanced examination. We will also be closely monitoring the situation and taking necessary steps as necessary. Health of candidates is of utmost concern to all of us. We all have children and we can connect with the parents of candidates. I am sure NTA and the ministry of education are in touch with state governments for taking care of the transport requirements,” Rao added.
Some candidates are also in favour of conducting the entrance exams in September. Warisha, a NEET aspirant from Samastipur in Bihar, said, “The delay in exam is increasing mental pressure among the aspirants. It’s better if the exam is held at the earliest.”
In an interview to a news channel, education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had said several parents and students pressured the government to conduct NEET-JEE exams. “The Supreme Court also said that life must go on and the future of students cannot be kept at risk for a long time. We have to respect that decision. Out of 858,000 students, 725,000 students have downloaded the admit cards already. Around 99% candidates have got their first choice of centre cities in both of these examinations. We are also making provisions for those who want to appear from different centres,” he told the channel.
OPPOSITION LEADERS UNITE AGAINST A COMMON CAUSE
Political leaders across the spectrum have expressed concerns over conducting the exams during a pandemic and its subsequent impact on the existing health crisis in the country. From Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia to Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the political leaders have urged the Centre to rethink their decision on the exams.
A senior Trinamool Congress leader also told Hindustan Times that chief ministers of all non-BJP ruled states have been invited for a virtual meeting on Wednesday with Mamata Banerjee and Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to demand postponement of the exams.
“Chief ministers of all non-BJP ruled states have been invited, only Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has informed us that he will not be able to attend due to some previous engagement,” said the TMC leader who is involved in arranging the meeting. Those who will attend include Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy,” the TMC leader had said.
Political leaders such as BJP’s Subramanian Swamy, Congress’s Vivek Tankha and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav have also raised safety concerns over the conduct of NEET and JEE.
