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Turndown to Nationwide Students Demur

Turndown to Nationwide Students Demur

Students, Education, YouthsOver 8.58 lakh students have registered for the JEE and 15.97 lakh for NEET (UG) this year. The parents request the Centre to delay exams for the Covid-19 surge over the nation and worldwide.

By Shahnaz Islam | Advocate, Guahati High Court

A section of students are up in arms in the risk and vulnerability of life. Parents bargain for the lives of their children and match a demur for postponing the exams that will be held in future. Students are the future infrastructure of the nation. One cannot be just put on risk for the sake of the concept of organising examination on time and not to urge any disturbance of the schedule. Over 8.58 lakh students have registered for the JEE and 15.97 lakh for NEET (UG) this year. The parents request the Centre to delay exams for the Covid-19 surge over the nation and worldwide. Even the States/Union Territories have given liberty to approach the UGC to seek postponement of the exams in the light of Covid-19 pandemic. One year loss in academic life is more worthy than the loss of massive lives of students forever. These students are the utmost backbone of the mainstream of a country’s economic, social and political affairs but if it is taken lightly this way then definitely we risk our tomorrow for sure. Today’s “black day” will turn out to be a “black future” of the country. We are already challenged and the future is in doubt about the welfare of the state and economic, social and political conditions of the country. The students formed a huge mass of the population of this nation and if they are forced to appear in the exams without the elixir to this vicious virus, it is somewhat like troops match to battleground without shields and instruments to fight the foes and triggering the alarm for massive turmoil to occur.

Why is the Centre so adamant? Being born and brought up in a democratic country like India, is it too much to seek for their wellbeing and postponement of scheduled exams? This urge by the students and parents is only to keep the consideration of safety for public health. The size of over 4,000 students undertook a nationwide hunger strike pleading and compelling for delay of their examinations; and why is it so that the Centre’s attention is yet to strike and consider their request?

The fuelled dissent has been more mushroomed when India contributed over 38 lakhs coronavirus cases currently as per the Worldometer. Life can’t cease to stop due to Covid-19 but with no viable vaccine in sight, and without proper weapons to fight this epidemic disease is no wise but slaughtering one to be its prey. Life is given once; why to risk it knowing the consequences. The exams in India are over and over again. One can choose to repeat it; if not this year then coming year. Therefore, it is very obvious for the students to grow and highlight the concern of theirs and their families’ health and thus demand the government to reconsider its decision to postpone national exams without compelling about 25 lakhs students to sit for the exams en mass.

Whether the government is agree or disagree with the students’ health considerations or will justice be done or injustice prevails; no matter, but the mood of the nation during this widespread students’ protest and the decision by common public to go with them – the students, who are our future body of this country, already sent a clear  signal to the people in the Centre that life is priceless and cannot be risked by mere stupidity.

Life is equal and precious for each and everyone; it just can’t be wasted.

Congress Protests Demanding Postponement of NEET, JEE Exams

Congress Protests Demanding Postponement of NEET, JEE Exams

IYC protest outside Shastri Bhawan

IYC protest outside Shastri Bhawan

Delhi Congress unit workers led by city unit chief Chaudhary Anil Kumar assembled near Shastri Bhawan here, which houses the Education ministry and raised slogans against the Narendra Modi government

NEW DLEHI – Upping the ante against the Centre, hundreds of Delhi Congress workers on Friday staged a protest outside the Ministry of Education demanding postponing NEET and JEE exams.

Delhi Congress unit workers led by city unit chief Chaudhary Anil Kumar assembled near Shastri Bhawan here, which houses the Education ministry and raised slogans against the Narendra Modi government.

However, they were detained by the Delhi Police and taken to Mandir Marg police station. Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and wrote, “NEET-JEE aspirants’ safety should not be compromised due to the failures of the government. Government must listen to all stakeholders and arrive at a consensus.”

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also took to Twitter and wrote, “The govt cannot ignore the voices of the students appearing for NEET, JEE exams and those of their concerned parents. They are the future of our country. With the rising scale of the pandemic, is it fair to expose them to infection in this manner? At least some things should be beyond politics.”

In the morning Rahul Gandhi also appealed to the people to join the nationwide protest for students’ safety. “Unite your voice with lakhs of suffering students. Speak up for student safety from 10 a.m. onwards. Let’s make the government listen to the students,” he tweeted.

The Congress is protesting across the country demanding postponing of NEET, JEE exams scheduled in the month of September amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Meanwhile, NSUI workers are sitting on a protest outside Shastri Bhawan for the last three days demanding postponing the exams.

Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal visited the NSUI workers in solidarity. “Visited NSUI protest at Shasthri Bhavan to show my solidarity. The BJP government must listen to the voice of students who are concerned about safety and transportation during Covid-19. The government must listen to them before making a decision on JEE and NEET exams,” Venugopal tweeted.

Addressing a virtual press conference along with Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and Maharashtra Education Minister Uday Samant, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, “This government is one of inefficiency, apathy and contradictions. Maharashtra, West Bengal, Punjab, Jharkhand, Puducherry, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have come together on major public interest issues and federal issues and that of students.”

Singhvi said that the logistics themselves show what a mockery the government is making of coronavirus safeguards. “The number of students is around 25 lakh. What kind of social distancing are you talking about?” he questioned. Attacking the government, he said, “This government has actually painted itself into a corner and is now trying to get out of it by kneejerk, ego-centered reactions.” He said these exams were scheduled in April, and the government kept postponing.

“You slept and did not create alternatives, now you are stuck,” he said. Pointing out the issue of transportation during the pandemic, he said process of mobility is an issue. “Distance to exam centres runs into hundreds of kilometers. They have not provided one centre per district which is minimum. There is no infrastructure, one temperature gun is hardly a safeguard,” he said.

Citing the example of Bihar, Singhvi said, out of the 38 districts, centres for NEET have been provided in only two districts while seven districts in case of JEE exams. “Such large movements are a recipe for disaster when health, life and security are concerned. We have tried to give a responsible roadmap. Even if you postpone exams to October-November, get results in six-eight weeks, you can comfortably start in January and complete the academic year,” the Congress leader said.

Singhvi also said that a reconsideration petition that has been filed is in four parts — safety and health, rational, balanced ways in which you can provide both objectives of health and education and policy rules based on which you will be able to do this.

“The short order that dismissed an earlier review petition has given no reasons. CLAT exams with lesser students, have been postponed from September 7 to 28. We hope that this convergence of views by important states of India will lead to a public interest result,” Singhvi added.

Earlier in the day, Congress workers across the country staged protests demanding postponement of NEET and JEE exams.