JEE, NEET Exams 2020: Why are students demanding delay? Why did SC decline plea?

NEET and JEE Main 2020 exams have become a major issue as thousands of students and parents are demanding postponement in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. Amid the growing clamour for the postponement of NEET and JEE Main 2020 exams, political leaders have also joined the bandwagon and have demanded the government to reconsider its decision.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and even Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy have echoed the demands of students. Swamy recently wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to postpone NEET/JEE and other competitive examinations beyond Diwali.

Arguments in favour of JEE, NEET postponement

The ongoing health crisis across the country has led to travel constraints, exacerbated by floods in several states including Assam, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. Apart from the concern of COVID-19 transmission at the examination centre, students are also facing the issue of transportation. Swamy said that there is widespread desperation amongst the youth, opining that it may lead to a “large number of suicides” around the country.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had dismissed the petitions seeking postponement of JEE Main 2020 and NEET 2020 examinations which are scheduled to be conducted in September. Justice Arun Kumar Mishra observed, that students cannot waste an entire year and the court cannot jeopardise their career, ruling that the examinations will not be postponed.

Read: 'Conduct JEE, NEET 2020 Exams After Diwali': Subramanian Swamy Writes To PM Modi

Read: On Holding NEET & JEE Now, Subramanian Swamy Fires Dire Warning; Calls It 'giant Mistake'

Arguments against JEE, NEET postponement

The major argument against the postponement of NEET and JEE examinations is the obvious disruption in the academic calendar. Academicians have argued that the NEET and JEE are conducted for admissions in medical and engineering colleges, which have several laboratory components and are required to be conducted in a timely manner. They fear that the lab work will be compromised if the exams get postponed.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has already made admit cards available for JEE Main exams on the official websites NTA (nta.ac.in) and JEE Main (jeemain.nta.nic.in) as NEET aspirants wait for their call letter. NEET will be held on September 13 and the admit cards will be released 15 days prior to exams.

Read: NEET Admit Card 2020: NEET Admit Card Date To Release Soon At 'ntaneet.nic.in'

Read: NEET 2020: NTA Releases Exam Centre Details For Applicants At 'ntaneet.nic.in'