NEET, JEE 2020 Exam News and Updates: 99% allotted centres of their choice, says govt as students rue lack of transport, floods

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Updates

Uttar Pradesh cops lathicharge protesting SP workers 

Police in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday lathicharged Samajwadi Party workers who were protesting at the Raj Bhawan “against the Centre’s decision to hold all-India joint entrance examinations for graduation courses in medicines and engineering in September amid the coronavirus pandemic”, News18 reported.

“SP workers of party’s student wing reached the Raj Bhawan in the afternoon and started raising anti-government slogans for organising the NEET and JEE amid the pandemic at “considerable” risks to students,” the report said.

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Updates

Modi govt ‘playing with lives’ of millions of youths for JEE-NEET exams: Jakhar

Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar on Thursday accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of “playing with the lives” of youths by being “adamant” on holding JEE-NEET exams amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jakhar’s reaction came a day after Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asked his state advocate general to coordinate with his counterparts in other Opposition-ruled states for filing a joint review petition in the Supreme Court for the deferment of the all-India joint entrance tests for graduation courses in medicines and engineering amid the pandemic.

Jakhar asked if students’ lives were worth ’less’ than those of MPs or MLAs for the Modi government. It was for the first time in the history of the Parliament that the seating arrangement of the MPs was being changed on a large scale to ensure their safety, he said in a statement here. “Will it be appropriate to put the health of millions of students who will have to sit together in the examination centers?” he asked.

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Updates

How to Download Admit Card for NEET-UG 2020?

Step 1: Visit the website –  ntaneet.nic.in  or  nta.ac.in .

Step 2: At the left side of the homepage, under current events, click on the link that reads ‘Download Admit Card’.

Step 3: You will be directed to a new page where you will have to enter your application number, password, date of birth in DD/MM/YYYY format, and enter security pin.

Step 4: Press the submit button.

Step 5: Your NEET UG 2020 admit card, or hall ticket, will appear on the screen. Download and take a print out.

Direct link to download NEET 2020 admit card –  https://ntaneet.nic.in/ntaneet/AdmitCard/AdmitCard.html

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Updates

Education minister links download of admit cards to student’s support of govt move to hold exam

“NTA DG told me that 7.5 lakhs out of 8.58 lakhs candidates in JEE have downloaded admit cards. For NEET, over 10 lakhs out of 15.97 lakhs candidates downloaded admit cards in 24 hrs. It shows that students want that exams are held at any cost,” Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal was quoted as saying by News18.

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Updates

Delay in JEE, NEET will lead to ‘zero year’; quick alternatives can have cascading effects: IIT heads

Further delay in conducting medical and engineering entrance exams NEET and JEE will lead to a ‘zero academic year’ and any quick alternative to the crucial exams will dilute the quality of education and have cascading effects, according to Directors of several Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

Amid the chorus for postponement of the two exams in view of the rising COVID-19 cases, the IIT Directors appealed to students to trust the institutions conducting the exam. Directors of IIT Roorkee, Kharagpur, Ropar, were among those who said that thedecision to conduct exams have been taken after dye consideration and that postponing them further will result in a year laspse for millions of candidates.

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Updates

No rethink on postponing exams, says ministry

 Supporting the demand for postponement of NEET and JEE examinations in view of the coronavirus pandemic, seven chief ministers of non-BJP ruled states have decided to jointly move the Supreme Court on the issue. Meanwhile, the education secretary has said that the government is not going to revisit its decision to hold the exams. According to a report in India Today, Ministry of Education Secretary who just returned from a meeting at the PMO said that the Centre’s decision remains the same and there would be no rethink on postponing JEE and NEET exams.

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Updates

Women candidates in remote villages could be hit the hardest if govt goes ahead with exam

With the exam centres spread across select cities in India, inter-city travel for NEET and JEE aspirants living in tier 3 cities or rural areas is completely unavoidable. Add to this the unique predicament of flood-like situation in several states and orders of partial to complete suspension of public transport in various places. Besides, hotels and lodges have started operations in a very few cities and not every one can afford to pay for these facilities. This has impacted the women candidates the most as they fear they will not be allowed to travel alone and may be asked to drop the exam because travel and stay arrangements have become such a hassle in these times. Journalist Vijaita Singh also reported similar accounts of girls from small places in UP and West Bengal explaining how the absence of public transport could mean they may not be able to take the exam.

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Updates

Over 17 lakh students download NEET, JEE admit cards 

Over 17 lakh students have downloaded their admit cards for NEET, JEE exams, amid protests for their postponement due to Covid-19, and floods in some states, News18 reported. According to official data, 9,94,198 students have downloaded their admit cards for NEET (UG) and 7,49,408 students have downloaded admit cards for JEE (Mains).

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Updates

JEE, NEET are not exams of Class 3 and 4, says Narottam Mishra on postponement of entrance tests

Amid increasing demand for postponement of NEET and JEE 2020 exams during the coronavirus outbreak, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday said ’exams are essential".

In response to the calls of deferring the entrance exams, the minister said, “NEET and JEE examinations are not examinations of class third or fourth. People passing these examinations contribute to nation-building. These examinations are essential. Therefore, this should not be made an issue.”

NEET & JEE examinations are not examinations of class third or fourth. People passing these examinations contribute to nation-building. These examinations are essential. Therefore, this should not be made an issue: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra pic.twitter.com/dNoWe8jEsc

— ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2020

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Update

Travel unavoidable for many despite increase in centres

NTA has increased the number of examination centres from 570 to 660 (in case of JEE Main) and 2,546 to 3,843 (in case of NEET (UG) 2020) to avoid overcrowding at centres and to enforce social distancing norms. Hoowever, this does not solve the predicament of many a candidates who still need to make travel plans amid the pandemic as these centres are set up in select cities in India.

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Update

Akhilesh writes open letter slamming Centre’s decision to hold NEET, JEE exams amid pandemic

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday wrote an open letter opposing the central government’s decision to hold NEET and JEE exams amid the coronavirus pandemic. He said the BJP-led government at the Centre is unnecessarily putting the students’ health at risk.

“Funny and illogical things are being spread by the BJP that when people can come out for other work, why can’t they give exams? It has forgotten that people are moving out in compulsion and even those who want to stay at home to save themselves are now being forced to come out of their homes in the name of examinations,” Yadav said in the letter.

The SP chief asked who will be held responsible if students contract the infection. He claimed that the saffron party is only concerned about people who vote for it. “It appears that the BJP has come to know that the youth dealing with unemployment problem would no longer vote for them therefore, it is acting in a revengeful manner against the youth and their guardians,” Yadav alleged.

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Update

Why are students opposing the exam?

Students have been vocally opposing the decision to conduct the NEET and JEE entrance exams for admission to medical and engineering courses in the middle of a pandemic. Applicants have also expressed concerns about issues such as about lack of transportation and inevitable crowding if the exams are not postponed. 

Furthermore, floods have impacted several states in India which has further impacted transport and travel in various parts of India. The National Testing Agency has increased the number of centres in light of the COVID-19 pandemic to  avoid overcrowding at centres. But as per a list issued in Decempber 2019. these centres are situated in 155 cities, whereas the country has over 700 districts, which makes intercity travel almost impossible to avoid for many students.

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Update

Siddaramaiah slams BJP, says govt adamant despite opposition

Former Karnataka chief minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah has criticised the ruling BJP for steamrolling students into taking exam despite the vocal opposition to the move from almost all quarters. He also said that the government is not being considerate of the practical difficulties students will face in travelling to exam centres. 

“Despite opposition from everyone, BJP govt is adamant on conducting NEET & JEE. Covid19 cases are increasing rapidly in the country & yet students are being forced to take risk. Should they pledge their lives to take the exams?” Siddaramiah tweeted with the hashtag #AntiStudentsModiGovt

Traveling is not safe for students, accommodation is difficult, public transportation is not fully functional & yet students are expected NOT to be anxious to write exams.@narendramodi should be more sensitive towards young students & postpone exams.

2/2#AntiStudentsModiGovt

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) August 27, 2020

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Update

Education minister says majority of students want exam

Even as Opposition to the holding of nationwide NEET and JEE exams goes in full swing, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has sought to defend the move, arguing that a majority of students indeed want the exam on the due date. 

In an interview to DD News, “Students and guardians constantly put pressure on us to conduct NEET & JEE exams. SC too opined that full academic year can’t be wasted. After two deferments, exam dates have been finalized. 85% of JEE aspirants have already downloaded their admit cards!”

He further told Hindustan Times that he had received innumerable emails from “the silent majority” saying that they don’t want a zero academic year.

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Update

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik speaks to PM Modi, appeals for canceling exam

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone and requested him to postpone NEET and JEE exams, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the flood situation in the state, a senior official said. Patnaik, during his conversation with the prime minister, explained that Odisha is in the grip of a pandemic as well as flood, and students might face difficulties in appearing for the examinations, the official at the chief minister’s office told reporters.

NEET, JEE 2020 Exam Latest News Update

150 Academicians write to PM Modi, say hold exams without further delay

Over 150 academicians from various universities in India and abroad have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that delaying the medical and engineering entrance exams – JEE-Mains and NEET – any further will mean compromising the future of students.

Referring to the growing chorus against the conduct of these exams in September in view of the rising COVID-19 cases, the academicians said in their letter, “Some are trying to play with future of students to propel their own political agenda”.