NEET-JEE row: 7 CMs decide to move SC seeking postponement of exams; DMK, AAP to support

Supporting demand for postponement of NEET and JEE examinations in view of coronavirus pandemic, seven chief ministers of n-BJP ruled states on Wednesday decided to jointly move Supreme Court on issue.

Parties like DMK and AAP too joined growing chorus against holding of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) at a time when COVID-19 cases were rising.

At a meeting convened by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on a range of issues ahe of Monsoon Session of Parliament, seven chief ministers agreed to need for filing a review petition urging Supreme Court to reconsider its recent order rejecting postponement of competitive exams, sources said.

Among chief ministres who attended meeting were West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee (TMC), Maharashtra's Uddhav Thackeray, who is heing Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government, Punjab's Amarinder Singh (Congress), Jharkhand's Hemant Soren (JMM), Rajasthan's Ashok Gehlot (Congress), Chhattisgarh's Bhupesh Baghel (Congress)and Puducherry's V Narayanasamy (Congress).

A decision was taken to discuss matter and evolve a joint strategy in this regard, sources said.

Sonia Gandhi said Congress party was on board on issue and asked Banerjee, who proposed a joint appeal by states in apex court, to work out with Amarinder Singh and or chief ministers on legal recourse. She said whatever steps need to be taken in interest of students should be taken unitedly.

Batting for students who are demanding postponement of exams due to COVID-19, Congress leer Rahul Gandhi urged central government to listen to ir grievances and find an amicable solution.

"NEET-JEE aspirants are worried about ir health and future. y have genuine concerns of: fear of Covid19 infection, transport and lodging during pandemic and flood-mayhem in Assam and Bihar," he said on Twitter.

"GOI must listen to all stakeholders and find an acceptable solution," he said.

Congress also anunced protests by its state units on August 28 in front of central government offices at state and district hequarters, besides a nationwide online campaign, #SpeakUpForStudentSaftey.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia separately said medical and engineering entrance exams NEET and JEE should be postponed and central government should work on alternative methods for selecting students.

"y (Centre) are saying protocols will be followed. Following same protocols that Centre wants 28 lakh students to follow, lakhs of Indians have tested positive," Aam Ami Party told reporters.

"How can we take risk of sending 28 lakh students to exam centres and be assured that y will t be infected," Sisodia asked.

DMK chief M K Stalin welcomed decision of seven chief ministers to appeal to Supreme Court for postponement of NEET, JEE exams and thanked Sonia Gandhi for her efforts. He said Tamil Nu government should also move Supreme Court.

Earlier, during chief ministers' meeting, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren suggested meeting president and prime minister on issue, to which Banerjee and Amarinder Singh said re was time for that, considering JEE Mains are scheduled to be held from September 1 to 6.

Sonia Gandhi set st for a discussion on JEE, NEET issue by mentioning in her opening remarks that government was looking at students' issue "uncaringly".

Banerjee n urged or CMs to jointly move a review petition in Supreme Court, saying students are facing a lot of hardships. Punjab CM endorsed her demand, saying atmosphere is t conducive for holding exams physically as number of COVID cases were rising.

"I have written to prime minister twice requesting him to postpone decision to hold NEET/JEE exams. I also requested him to intervene as Supreme Court has alrey passed an order and Centre can appeal against it. But re has been response. So if Centre can't appeal n states for sake of students should jointly appeal and move SC on this issue," Banerjee said.

Thackeray also said that time is t right for holding competitive exams and pressed on need for postponing m. He said assembly session was curtailed due to rising number of COVID cases.

Singh asked Punjab vocate General to coordinate with his counterparts in or opposition-ruled states for filing a collective review petition in Supreme Court, to seek deferment of NEET-JEE exams.

"23 MLAs in Punjab are down with Covid19. If this was state of legislators and ministers, one can only imagine how grave situation on ground was. scenario was t conducive to holding physical examinations," Singh said.

He suggested holding JEE, NEET and or entrance exams online.

Let us all get toger to move Supreme Court for postponement of exams, which are threatening lives of lakhs of students, he said. 

Gehlot and Baghel also endorsed view. Narayanasamy said central government would be held responsible if students get infected with COVID.

"Conducting NEET and JEE will le to a rise in COVID-19 cases and central government will be held responsible if students get affected," Narayanasamy said.

Joint Entrance Examination (Main) and National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) will be conducted in September as scheduled, Ministry of Education officials h said on Tuesday.

Supreme Court h last week dismissed a plea seeking postponement of two exams, saying a "precious" acemic year of students "cant be wasted" and life has to go on. While a total of 9.53 lakh candidates have registered for JEE-Mains, 15.97 lakh students have registered for NEET.  NEET is to be held on September 13 and engineering entrance exam JEE Main is scheduled from September 1-6.