The Supreme Court today dismissed a petition seeking the postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) scheduled to be held in September amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Court went on to dismiss the plea, saying that the “Career of students cannot be put under jeopardy for long”. Thus making it clear that the NEET and JEE exams would not be postponed and will be held as per the schedule.
The Bench of Justices Arun Mishra, BR Gavai, and Krishna Murari was hearing a petition seeking postponement of the NEET and JEE filed by as many as 11 aspirants from across various states. The plea also sought a direction for the National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct the exams only when normalcy returns after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hearing the petition Justice Mishra said “Life cannot be stopped. We have to move ahead with all safeguards and all… Are you (students) ready to waste one whole year?”
Appearing for the petitioners, Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava took the Court through various developments surrounding postponement of other exams amid the pandemic. Referring to the cancellation of CBSE and ICSE exams, and the postponement of AIBE, he said, “We are not looking for indefinite postponement”.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for the National Testing Agency (NTA) submitted that all safeguards would be taken while conducting the exams.
The petitioners had urged the Apex Court to direct the Centre to cancel the NEET and JEE (Main) exams scheduled for September. It was also urged that the number of NEET and JEE examination centres across the country be increased and that at least one centre be provided in one district of each state.
