HC RELIEF FOR FLOOD-HIT STUDENTS
Court has ordered National Testing Agency to consider the representations and let them sit at a later stage
In a respite for the students who would not be able to appear for their JEE-Mains exams due to flood-like situation prevailing in their districts, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has ordered the National Testing Agency to consider the representations of only "genuine" cases of students and let them sit at a later stage.
A bench of Justices Ravi Deshpande and Pushpa Ganediwala ordered the authorities to ensure that students do not suffer for no fault of theirs.
The bench had taken up a suo motu PIL while considering the plight of students of flood-hit districts such as Nagpur, Amravati, Akola, Chandrapur, Gondia, Gadchiroli etc.
The bench had on Monday asked the authorities to consider postponing the exams of students from these areas as they couldn't reach examination centres. It had accordingly summoned the district collectors and civic
chiefs of all the flood-hit districts.
The collectors appearing for Nagpur, Amravati, Chandrapur and Akola, through government pleader SY Deopujari informed the bench that situation was under control in these districts. The counsel further said that there was no obstruction or disruption of the transport system for students to reach exam centres.
Deopujari, however, pointed out that several villages from Bhandara and Gadchiroli districts and a few from Gondia have been cut off from the main roads leading to exam centres. He told the judges that students here might face difficulties in reaching exam centres.
Meanwhile, UM Aurangabadkar, the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) appearing for National Testing Agency, told the bench that the apex body of the exams shall consider the representations if any is made by students who would not be in a position to attend the exams due to flood situation or due to problem of transport and communication.
"If such representation is received, after making appropriate enquiries from the district collector and the centre co-ordinator of the examination, the same can be appropriately considered so that the students do not suffer for no fault on their part," the ASG submitted.
The bench having heard the submissions, appreciated the testing agency's gesture.
"However, if any of the students are unable to attend the exams due to flood situation, a representation can be made through the local agency to the Apex Body of the JEE-Mains examination, which shall be considered appropriately. Such representation must be decided within a period of 15 days," Justice Deshpande said while disposing of the matter.