JEE (Main) 2020: Outstation candidates seek better facilities, cite trouble reaching test centres in NCR
New Delhi: Engineering aspirants who appeared for their Joint Entrance Examination (Main) on the second day of the exams in the National Capital Region, while glad that they would not have to waste a year, said that they hoped for better preparation and facilities for outstation candidates, who are facing a host of issues travelling to and from exam centres.
"If the govt takes responsibility for a student falling sick or dying because of COVID-19, then I would not have any apprehensions about appearing for this exam. But when government offices and Parliament itself are functioning within such strict limitations, then how can they ask lakhs of students to put their lives at risk? Since I live here, it is easy for me to take this exam, but those travelling from far off places will find it difficult to do so", 18-year-old BTech aspirant Harsh Joshi said, as he prepared to enter the Noida Sector 62 test center.
Himanshu Chhonkar (18) from Jewar tehsil in Gautam Budh Nagar, said "It's alright that the exam is happening today since I have been studying for months now and it's good that it will finally be over. But there should have been better facilities for outstation candidates". His father, Rajesh Kumar Chhonkar (55) said that due to limited buses and other public transport, they faced some difficulty in reaching the test center.
Chhonkar is also appearing for his NDA (National Defence Academy) exam on September 6 in Delhi's Paschim Vihar. "At least today we were able to reach the test center the same day since we found a roadways bus and then a tempo, but for travelling to Delhi, we will have to reach a day early. We are worried about how to make arrangements for accommodation and travel", they added.
While travel complications and restrictions were major contributors to the difficulties experienced by candidates travelling to their centres from far away, local residents also felt uneasy exposing themselves to the risk of infection. "It should at least have been postponed till we have a vaccine", said Shweta (18), another BTech candidate from Greater Noida.
However, several local candidates still chose to appear for the exam because it was not too inconvenient for them, and they felt that too much of their education and future were at stake.
In fact, to the NTA's credit, most test-takers agreed that strict safety precautions were followed. "Students lined up following strict social distancing measures outside the venue. They were given fresh masks and gloves and made to sit six feet apart in their respective rooms. Even while dispersing, only a few students were let out at a time and parents or guardians were not allowed to collect outside the venue to avoid a crowd", said the Supervisor for the security team outside the Noida Sector 62 centre.
