SC Dismisses Postponement Of NEET JEE

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National Testing Agency

It is an Indian government agency that was established in November 2017 to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational
NTA is responsible for conducting-
The Joint Entrance Examination – Main (JEE Main),
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET UG),
National Eligibility Test (NET),
Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) and
Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT).

A review petition has been filed in the Supreme Court by Moloy Ghatak, a minister from West Bengal,
Along with several ministers from different states against the conduction of NEET and JEE Main 2020 entrances amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

As per the petition filed by the ministers,
The Union government has had adequate time to make comprehensive preparations for the safe and successful conduct of the examinations.
Now the Union Government has suddenly woken up to realize that their inertia is going to cost lakhs of students their academic year and
Therefore as a kneejerk reaction, the Union Government has haphazardly and hurriedly fixed the dates of the examinations,
Which remedy will prove to be worse than the disease itself, the petition states.
This review petition is filed against the order dated August 12, 2020 of the SC whereby
The Central Government has been permitted to conduct NEET and JEE 2020 exams.

11 students belonging to 11 different states had sought cancellation of-
The Public notices dated 03.07.2020 issued by NTA scheduling the examination of
JEE (Main) April-2020 between 1st to 6th September, 2020 and NEET UG-2020 on 13th September, 2020.
The petitioners contended that there is an alarming spurt of COVID-19 cases in India and in view of which they seeking directions for the NTA to conduct the JEE (Main) April-2020 and NEET UG-2020 only after normalcy is restored in our country, post COVID-19 crisis.
The parents of the affected students are facing utmost financial distress.
The petitioners had also alleged that the examination conducting body has ignored the plight of lakhs of students belonging to Bihar, Assam and North Eastern States,
Which are presently witnessing incessant flood and thus conducting online or offline examinations in such places, is not possible.

Solicitor Gerneral Tushar Mehta, representing The National Testing Agency(NTA),
Assured the court that all necessary precaution will be taken in view of Covid-19 pandemic.

The Supreme Court on Monday refused the plea for deferment of medical and engineering entrance exams.
The apex court bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra ordered for the dismissal of the petition and said “Career of students cannot be put under jeopardy for long.”