S. Vishnu Sharma
JEE Mains and NEET 2020 will be held as per the schedule declared in the recent past it looks like with central government refusing to postpone these two well-known exams.
It only looks like that JEE Mains and NEET 2020 will be held on as per the earlier planned schedule.
JEE Mains and NEET 2020:
This year proved to be quite different for all sectors as things did not go ahead smoothly as planned and education sector in this country was no exception to this.
It was CAA agitation that led to postponement of 10th and 12th class CBSE exams. Lateron the outbreak of corona virus played a spoilsport, many exams including the competitive exams for recruitment could not be conducted.
JEE Mains and NEET 2020 too did not remain different in this regard.
After much hiatus, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank announced the new dates of JEE Mains and NEET 2020.
As per the schedule announced by the Union Minister, JEE Mains 2020 will take place between 1 to 6 September and NEET UG 2020 will be held on 13 September.
These new dates for JEE Mains and NEET 2020 were received with mixed feelings across the country.
While a few sections turned happy that clarity with regards to these to exams has been offered with announcement of new dates, certain other sections have felt conducting of these exams can put into risk the lives of students and their parents.
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Certain parents and students felt that atmosphere was not safe enough to conduct JEE Mains and NEET 2020 as chances to contract the infection were still high.
The demand to postpone these exams also grew louder with every passing day.
A group of students also have filed a plea in Supreme Court recently demanding postponement of the popular exam and nation’s top court dismissed the plea.
Judge who heard the plea indicated that the future of the students could not be put at risk and the life must go on and that is why these exams cannot be postponed.
While the demand to postpone the important exam refused to subside with more people coming forward to support it, central goverment has refused to give in to the demand.
It has said that number of centres for conducting JEE Mains and NEET 2020 will be enhanced across the country.
National Testing Agency (NTA) which conducts JEE Mains and NEET 2020 also mentioned in its notification.
The number of exam centres have been increased to 660 from 570 in case of JEE Mains 2020. For NEET UG 2020 the number of exam centres has been hiked to 3843 from 2546.
NTA in its notification also confirmed the new dates for JEE Mains and NEET 2020 reminding the observation made by Supreme Court while dismissing the plea for postponement of both the exams.
NTA has already released the admit cards for JEE Mains 2020 exam. While the same for NEET UG 2020 will be made available for download soon.
Additionally, enough room for safety have been given by attaching importance to social distancing while conducting JEE Mains and NEET 2020.
The sources from NTA said the number of candidates occupying a room at the exam centre will be reduced.
The plan is to accomodate candidates in alternative seats for JEE Mains and for NEET 2020 the number of candidates sitting in a single room is brought down to 12 from 24.
As far as JEE Mains 2020 is concerned, the number of shifts for the exam have been increased from 8 to 12 and the number of candidates accomodated per shift is brought down to 85000 from 1.32 lakh.
Both the popular exams, JEE Mains and NEET 2020, have witnessed a reception of 8.58 lakh and 15.97 lakh applications respectively this year.
Apart from this, the entry and exit of the students at the exam centres for JEE Mains and NEET 2020 have been made in away to ensure social distancing.
NTA also has issued an advisory to students about do’s and don’ts while writing the exam.
NTA also has written to state governments for extending support for conducting the popular exams in a hassle free manner.
Postponement
West Bengal Chief Minister also sought postponement during a meeting of chief ministers of opposition ruled states.
She further said, the chief ministers of the opposition ruled states must come together and move Supreme Court seeking postponement of JEE Mains and NEET 2020.
The meeting was convened by Congress president Sonia Gandhi virtually and Chief Ministers Uddhav Thackeray, Hemant Soren, Amrinder Singh, Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and V. Narayanasamy participated.