National Testing Agency(NTA) is going to conduct the much awaited Joint Entrance Examination(JEE) for Engineering and Architecture on 1-6 of September,2020 and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test(NEET) on 13th September. Nearly 11 Lakh students are going to attend for JEE and 17 Lakh students are going to appear for NEET. We individually and as a country is going through probably the most difficult times in nearly few decades that humankind had gone through. In this difficult time conducting this type of exam with huge candidates can lead to tribulation for the students and their family.
Many will say that Covid-19 affect rate is lower for younger people, but they should understand that students will return to their home after testing their preparation. In India maximum students live in joint families where they live with their dear grandpa or grandma who are most vulnerable to this disease. Now think what will be going through with the student who love his or her elders in the family greatly but they prepared for this exam with their all resources.
Public transport like trains are running very minimally now. And in majority of cases the centres of these exams are not close to candidate’s home. So by taking exam now will give undue advantage to the privileged candidates who can afford car and go to the centre. It will not be justice done to the students coming from poor families. Now more than 50% of Covid-19 cases are coming from rural areas where transportation is more difficult. It can lead to student’s suicide. Few days ago 19 year old NEET aspirant R Subhashri commited suicide.
Viewing this type of situation parents and students approached Honble Supreme court for postponement of these exams. Justice Arun Mishra, BR Gavai, Krishna Murari bench of Supreme court in a video conference judgement rejected this plea in a video conference by saying that precious year of students cannot be wasted. But the Central Government can postpone the exam.
Many politician like Rahul Gandhi, Tejaswi Yadav, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Leftist Student organisation like Students Federation of India came in students support. Rahul Gandhi said that Government should listen to students “ Mann Ki Baat”. Shiv Sena Youth leader Aditya thakrey wrote to prime minister for postponement of the exam. BJP leader Subhramaniam Swamy cited 13 points and appealed to the government to take this exams later. Hashtag like #SATYAGRAH_AgainstExamsInCovid, #INDIAunitedtoPostponeJEENEET got trending on twitter.
NTA said that they will strictly follow many protocol in the test centres. As per their Guidelines Candidates showing Covid symptoms will appear for the exam in separate rooms, face masks will be provided, Every one at the entry to exam centre will be checked with thermal gun , candidates have to provide self declaration saying that they do not have any Covid like Symptoms, To prevent crowding at the entry candidates will have different reporting times, candidates will have to follow Physical distancing, use sanitizer before entering into the examination centre.
But probability of containing the virus with this type of huge candidates appearing is less likely possible. Concept of self declaration is very absurd because candidates who are asymptomatic Covid patient will not know that they made contact with the virus or not without testing. And though different reporting time will be given to many candidates many will have same reporting time so they can come into contact outside the gate. Yes it is true that one year loss will effect not only the students but the country as a whole but what can the students do when the situation is so egregious. So the NTA should think thoroughly and come into a decision which will give candidates to appear in the exam with only thinking about the subjects and dreaming their dream to get admission into reputed institutes .
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