NEET-JEE row: Punjab CM directs AG to work with other states on review plea in SC

With just days for the NEET/JEE exams to be conducted amid the Coronavirus pandemic, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday directed State Advocate General Atul Nanda to coordinate with his counterparts in other Opposition-ruled states for filing a collective review petition in the Supreme Court seeking deferment of the examinations.

The directive followed a virtual meeting convened by Congress President Sonia Gandhi with the chief ministers of seven Opposition-ruled states to discuss this and other issues of common concern, including delay in GST compensation release and the farm Ordinances by the Centre, as well as the New Education Policy, which Captain Amarinder said was thrust on the states without consultation.

“Let us all get together to move the Supreme Court for postponement of the exams, which are threatening the lives of lakhs of students,” the CM said. He suggested that the NEET/JEE and other professional exams like Medical and Law could be held online and there was no need to put the students at risk.

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Captain Amarinder also disclosed that his government would be setting up a committee soon to assess the impact of the New Education Policy on the state’s education system and finances. 

Pointing out that as of today, two days before the scheduled Punjab Vidhan Sabha session, 23 Ministers/MLAs were COVID-19 positive, the CM said if this was the state of the legislators and ministers, one can only imagine how grave the situation on the ground was. The scenario was not conducive to holding physical examinations, he said.

The Punjab Chief Minister told in the meeting that even on the issue of the mandatory final term exams for colleges/universities, despite repeated pleas and reminders, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had failed to take cognisance of his government’s concerns. Citing the importance laid by his government on education, he said that while in schools his government had already decided to promote the students based on their earlier performance, the final term college exams issue remained a matter of concern.

“How can we have exams with COVID projected to peak in the state in September?” he asked, adding that “I also want students to take exams and pass too, but how can I do this in the midst of the crisis?”

Centre says dates for exams finalised

Amid the row over the NEET and JEE exams, Union Education Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Wednesday stated that keeping in mind the order of the Supreme Court and the current situation of the pandemic, the exam dates had been finalised after two deferments. The Education Minister revealed that about 85% of the students appearing for the exams had already downloaded their admit cards and were ready to sit for their tests after much preparation. To be sure, he upheld that the exams will go on as currently scheduled.  

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