Docs write to PM urging to postpone NEET exam

Kolkata: City based doctors and medical aspirants have written to the Prime Minister Modi urging him to postpone National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) scheduled to take place September 19. Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had written to the PM on August 24 and 25 with a similar request.

Banerjee elaborately pointed out the lives of medical aspirants would be put at great risk if the NEET is held amidst the Covid situation and she urged the Prime Minister to postpone the test. As many as five doctors, medical aspirants have requested the PM to wait till the situation improves. The doctors also urged the PM to issue instructions to the National Testing Agency so that they adopt certain parameters whenever the entrance is held in the post Covid situation.

The doctors pointed out the number of exam centres is low as a result the physical distancing cannot be maintained if the exam is conducted on the scheduled date. They also proposed to conduct the exam in two phases so that the number of candidates can be divided.

"Around 15.97 lakh candidates have registered themselves to appear NEET (UG) 2020 in offline pen & paper mode according to NTA. In the year 2016, NEET (UG) was conducted in two phases by the conducting authority. In the year 2017, NEET (UG) occurred in a single phase in a single day but the question papers of English version were totally different from that of regional language question papers" reads the letter.

Dr A K Maity, formerly attached to the SSKM Hospital and one of the doctors who wrote the later said, in 2019, also NEET (UG) was postponed for the state of Odisha on actual date due to a devastating cyclonic. NEET (UG) 2019 was held on a separate date with different question papers for the candidates of Odisha. Record shows, in every past year, NEET (UG) examination was held more than one time with different question papers. IMC Act 2016 was not obeyed.

They also pointed out that candidates and guardians are anxious about how to reach the exam centre when the transport services are not normal. Hotels, lodges, hostels are not opened and even their relatives may deny their stay at their home. Many poor meritorious candidates of remote areas of districts are showing less interest to attain the NEET (UG) examination this year.