Rallying behind students demanding the postponement of JEE Main and NEET UG, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has said that it is ‘unfair’ that students in India are being asked to appear for national-level examinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a Tweet, Thunberg, who returned to school this August after a year of environmental campaigning, said “It’s deeply unfair that students of India are asked to sit national exams during the COVID-19 pandemic and while millions have also been impacted by the extreme floods. I stand with their call to #PostponeJEE_NEETinCOVID.”
Demands to Postpone NEET & JEE Exam Rise
Meanwhile, many popular faces from different professional fields have also requested the prime minister and Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal to postpone NEET and JEE entrance examination in the view of coronavirus pandemic.
Indian Leg cricket team captain Chandan Ray in a tweet requested PM Narendra Modi and Pokhriyal to postpone the NEET and JEE entrance exams due to the pandemic as it has created ‘furor’ among Indian students.
Actor Sonu Sood tweeted requesting the prime minister to postpone the examinations as, “in the given Covid-19 situation, we should care utmost and not risk lives of students.”
Author Chetan Bhagat also pushed for the postponement of the exams. He said that “vaccine is expected in a few months. Maybe the NEET and JEE could be postponed until then.”
Around 25 lakh students are expected to appear for JEE Main and NEET UG, which will be held from 1-6 September and 13 September respectively. Despite massive demands from aspirants, many of whom have to travel long distances during the pandemic to write exams, the NTA has decided to go ahead with the two tests.
A petition filed before the Supreme Court requesting postponement of JEE Main and NEET UG has been dismissed as well.
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