Congress follows Rahul Gandhi's clarion call; leads nationwide protest against NEET-JEE

The Congress on Friday launched a campaign against the Central government's decision to hold NEET and JEE exams during the coronavirus pandemic, with former party chief Rahul Gandhi urging people to speak up for the safety of students. Gandhi tweeted his appeal as part of the party's campaign under which it is holding countrywide protests on Friday to oppose the government's decision to hold NEET, JEE exams.

Following Rahul Gandhi's appeal, protests have erupted in parts of Delhi and Tamil Nadu as several Congress workers took to the streets and demonstrated against conducting the entrance exams in September.

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Congress leaders also voiced support for nationwide agitation in a bid to persuade the Centre to postpone the examinations."If we keep raising the matter, the Centre will have to consider the demands of people and postpone JEE and NEET exams," he tweeted in Hindi. Meanwhile, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has written a letter to Prime Minister Modi seeking postponement of the exam dates. 

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Meanwhile, a hunger strike started by the National Student Union of India (NSUI) members demanding postponement of NEET and JEE exams entered the third day on Friday. NSUI the student body of the Congress began an indefinite hunger strike at the Youth Congress office on Wednesday.

Their protest saw the support of Member Of Parliament Rajeev Satav, who expressed solidarity with NSUI president Neeraj Kunadan and his colleagues who have been sitting on a hunger strike and said that the government should not be conducting exams in these difficult times.

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'Students' year should not be wasted'

On Thursday, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank stated that the career of students was the first priority for the Union government. Reiterating that the JEE and NEET exams would be held as scheduled, he maintained that one year of the students should not be wasted. Moreover, he quoted the Supreme Court order which found no merit in postponing the JEE and NEET exams. 

Pokhriyal added that the Union Health Secretary had written to top administrative officials in states to ensure that the safety of candidates is given paramount importance. Additionally, he hailed the guidelines issued by the NTA for preventing the spread of COVID-19. While the JEE Main examination will be held between September 1 to 6, the NEET examination is scheduled for September 13. 

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