JEE-NEET exam: NSUI begins hunger strike, Youth Congress protests seeking postponement

The student and youth wing of the Congress party on Wednesday staged multiple protests demanding postponement of the NEET and JEE exams scheduled to take place next month. While the National Testing Agency (NTA) has said that exams will be conducted from September 1 to September 6, different organizations affiliated with the Congress party pledged to continue their protests seeking postponement of the competitive exams. The National Students’ Union of India, the student body of the Indian National Congress began an indefinite hunger strike at the Youth Congress office.  

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The strike was held by NSUI president Neeraj Kundan, who told Republic TV that he would not deter and call off his hunger strike until the government postpones the JEE and NEET exams. Asserting that it would not be safe for students to take an exam amidst a pandemic, Kundan said, “We will not call off our hunger strike until our demands which are also demands of lakhs of students are met. I would like to make it clear that no student is against conducting exams, they are apprehensive about taking exams in the current situation.”

Read: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Opposes Holding JEE & NEET Exams Amid Growing COVID-19 Threat

'NSUI will not move back'

He further highlighted that several states like Assam and Bihar have been severely affected by floods and it would become for students from these regions to take exams. He added, “Not only students but parents are also worried i.e. if their children contract the disease there are high chances that their family members will get affected. So I repeat that NSUI will not move back and we will continue this hunger strike till the time our woes are addressed.”

However, the NTA  has cited the August 17 Supreme Court order that rejected the plea seeking postponement of these exams saying a crucial year of students “cannot be wasted” and life has to go on. Following the hunger strike, workers of Youth Congress also staged a protest outside their office in the national capital. Several protestors took to the streets and raised slogans against the government. They also raised placards demanding postponement of NEET and JEE exams. 

Read: IT Delhi Director: Further Delay In Conducting NEET, JEE Can Have Serious Repercussions

The Congress youth workers had planned to rally to Education Ministry and stage protests but they were stopped by security officials, who urged the agitators to call off their protest sighting pandemic situation. The situation soon slipped out of hand where the security officials had to detain few protestors. “We will continue to demand the postponement of exams. Students cannot write exams in such conditions,” said a protestor. Similar sentiments were echoed by several others present there seeking postponement of exams. Nearly 8.58 lakh and 15.97 lakh candidates have registered for the JEE (Main) and NEET examinations respectively.

Read: NEET, JEE Main 2020: Sonu Sood Urges Govt To 'postpone Exams For 60 Days'

[Image credits: @kcvenugopalmp (Twitter)]