Kolkata: Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged the Centre for the second time to postpone NEET and JEE 2020 as the Covid pandemic continues to take a heavy toll on lives.
In her letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Banerjee categorically pointed out that during her video conference with the former she had raised how the UGS guidelines mandating the completion of terminal examinations in universities or colleges across the country by the end of September may put the lives of the students in jeopardy. Banerjee also requested the Centre to consider the issue in her earlier letter.
"We should not put any lives in jeopardy during the pandemic period by taking such unilateral, bureaucratic decisions," reads the excerpt of the letter. "Now in continuation of my earlier letter, I would like to mention that the Education Ministry of government of India has issued a further directive to conduct NEET and JEE examinations in September which is again a gravely risky decision," Banerjee mentioned in her second letter.
She also appealed to the Centre to assess the Covid situation which involves 'enormous health risk' and the Centre must not take any decision which may affect the students. In a series of tweets on Monday morning, Banerjee had also spoken on identical terms.
Aspirants sit for JEE for admission to premier engineer colleges while National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is a nationwide medical entrance. She requested the Centre to postpone the NEET and JEE. "Now with the directive of @EduMinOfIndia to conduct NEET, JEE 2020 in Sep, I would again appeal to the Centre to assess the risk and postpone these examinations until the situation is conducive again. It is our duty to ensure a safe environment for all our students," She tweeted.
A team of doctors from the city had also written to Chief Minister Banerjee and also to the Prime Minister to consider all aspects before conducting the examinations. Dr A K Maity, one of the members of the team has pointed out: "If the Centre takes the exams, they should involve the state government as the latter is better equipped to conduct the tests throughout the state as it has centers in the rural areas."