According to media reports, nearly 4,000 students are observing a day-long hunger strike demanding postponing the NEET and JEE Main 2020 examinations due to the rising cases of COVID-19 in the country. The announcement of the hunger strike was made on the same day that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged the government to listen to the demands of the students and arrive with a solution for the same.
Postponement of National Level Entrance Exams
The All India Students Association has stated that close to 4,200 students have observed the day-long hunger strike at their respective homes demanding that the NEET, UGC-NET, CLAT, and JEE Main 2020 be postponed and the CBSE class 10 and 12 compartment exams are cancelled.
Students have also taken to social media to appeal to the government to pay heed to the demands raised by the students. One of the students stated that they are supposed to report to the JEE Main 2020 exam centre at 7 AM and the centre is 150 kilometers away with no trains or buses available for public transport. Students have raised the question of traveling to the examinations centres and wearing masks and appearing for the exams for a continuous duration of the examinations.
Student grievances
Students have been voicing their concerns with respect to the distance and time taken to travel to the exam centres under the COVID-19 crisis and the doubt of catching the disease. Students have also stated that some of the exam centres are located in COVID-19 hotspots which will again pose a grave risk to the students appearing.
Students have also sighted reasons with regard to the safety of their family members who will also be at risk of contracting the disease.
Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia had earlier appealed to the central government to cancel the JEE Main and NEET examinations due to COVID-19 asking for alternative admission methods to be used this year.
The JEE Main and NEET 2020 examinations are scheduled to be conducted in September 2020.
UGC -NET Examinations
Representatives from the different central universities across the country have also written to the National Testing Agency over the issues with respect to the recently announced examination schedule for UGC NET 2020.
Schools and colleges have been shut since March 2020 following the government announcement of shutting classes for the students after which the nationwide lockdown was announced by the government.
Health Ministry Data
The total number of COVID-19 cases in India has passed the 30 lakh mark with the numbers crossing 20 lakh in just 16 days. The recovery rate in the country has been marked at 74.90 percent according to the health ministry data with close to 22,80.566 people recovering from the illness.
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