6 States Want Supreme Court To Review Decision To Hold JEE, NEET Exams

Six opposition-ruled states have approached the Supreme Court seeking a review of order permitting the centre to go ahead with holding the NEET medical entrance exam and the JEE for admission to the IITs amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The six states that have approached the Supreme Court are West Bengal, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Maharashtra. Each state is represented by a minister from that state.

On August 17, the top court had dismissed a petition by 11 students from 11 states to postpone the two crucial exams, declaring that "careers of students could not be put in jeopardy".

"Life cannot be stopped. We have to move ahead with all safeguards and all... Are students ready to waste one whole year? Education should be opened up. Covid may continue for a year more. Are you going to wait another year? Do you know what the loss to the country and peril to the students is?," the Supreme Court had said.

At a online meeting called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, the Chief Ministers had expressed concern that states would be blamed and the Centre would put the onus of conducting the exams on them, including arranging transportation and accommodation for students.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren had said the "burden" of the centre's move to push ahead with JEE and NEET would "ultimately land on our head".

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday said that he did not favour a gap year, but just postponement by two or three months. "A gap year will be difficult. We cannot have double exams next year. All we are asking for is a two-three month delay," Mr Singh told NDTV.

Several states are working cautiously to bring lives to normal after the coronavirus lockdown and are keeping an eye out for factors that could lead to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

The two key exams - the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) for admission to the Indian Institute of Technology and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical courses - are scheduled to be held next month. The two exams are among the toughest exams in the country.

While the JEE is scheduled from September 1 to 6, the NEET exam is scheduled for September 13.