Postpone NEET & Other Exams: 8-Yr-Old Writes to President, PM Modi

The 8-year-old activist has requested the President & PM to postpone exams till the situation becomes conducive.

The 8-year-old has requested the President & PM to postpone exams till the situation becomes conducive. 

(Photo Courtesy: @LicypriyaK/Twitter)

Eight-year-old climate and environment activist Licypriya Kangujam has personally submitted a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind and to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office, asking them to postpone the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET), which is scheduled on 13 September 2020.

Apart from NEET, the green activist has also requested for postponement of JEE Main, JEE Advanced, third-year university exams, CBSE Compartmental exams, NDA, DUET and other exams without any further delay, to save the lives of “millions of students.”

In a letter delivered to the PMO and to President Kovind on 2 September, Kangujam said that India has not only recorded the world's highest daily rise in coronavirus cases, but has been ravaged by floods which have affected around 14 districts in the country.

She pointed out that while JEE Main – for which about 8.58 lakh students have registered – is being held across two shifts from 1 to 6 September, NEET UG, which will be held for nearly 15.97 lakh candidates, will be held on a single shift on 13 September.

While admitting that SOPs are being followed at some exam centres, Kangujam claimed that “many exam centres failed miserably to follow the proper guidelines and SOPs” issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

She also added that since students are under “extreme stress, anxiety and trauma”, holding exams during this pandemic would be akin to forcing them to compromise on their health.

“We don’t want to create another disaster in this country by holding exams for millions of students in this peak COVID 19 situation by putting additional burden to our government and our leaders.”

Licypriya Kangujam, Climate Activist

She also added that since exams have already been postponed by a few months, postponing them further, would not cause much harm in the carer of students.