Students want NEET put off
Alarmed at the violations of Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SoP) on Wednesday at the JEE examination centres in Telangana, students and many others on Thursday took to Twitter and other social media platforms reiterating their demand for postponing the NEET 2020 exam scheduled for next week. Many also expressed horror and shared their own experiences at the exam centres.
On Thursday, Deccan Chronicle reported on the violation of SOPs during the first two days of the JEE Mains in the state. The report was widely shared, with more than 8,000 shares on Twitter. 11 petitioners in the Supreme Court also shared the report.
Students from across the country blamed the union education minister for lying to the country in saying that the exams were being conducted smoothly and demand that after the failures of SoP during the JEE Mains exams, the NEET should be postponed so that no more lives are risked.
A Twitter user, Anupama Parmeshwaran, wrote ‘Absolutely worst conditions in Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh. No SoPs followed, no gloves, no mask on teachers’ fac., no social distancing and a heavy public (gathering), worst condition.’ Students from Jalgaon, Maharashtra and Patna also shared similar experiences of the violation of social distancing norms and faltering at JEE centres.
Demanding postponement of NEET 2020 due next week, a student and twitter user, Neha Dwivedi, said, ‘We are 16 lakh aspirants and will take the exam in a single shift in a single day, with at least 32 lakh parents and staff. It will lead to a disaster. Please save us.’
Twitterati are now addressing their concerns to the President's office by sending emails and mentions on the social media platform, with the hashtag #JEEFailedPostponeNEET.
The Supreme Court is likely to hear the review plea on JEE/NEET today filed by the Chief Ministers of six opposition-ruled states: Bengal, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Maharashtra asking for a re-look into their decision to hold exams even as Covid-19 cases are spiking everyday.
The NEET examinations scheduled on September 13 will see 16 lakh students, nationally, appearing in a single shift for an offline OMC-type exam. In Telangana, 55,800 students will sit for NEET at 112 centres, whereas in AP, 61,892 students will take the exam at 151 centres next week.
● ON THURSDAY, Deccan Chronicle reported on the violation of SOPs during the first two days of the JEE Mains in the state. The report was widely shared, with more than 8,000 shares on Twitter.