NEET: Team of docs write to Centre, seek direction on safety measures

Kolkata: A team of five doctors from the city in its recent letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged him to issue necessary instructions to the National Testing Agency (NTA) so that it considers the safety measures as the utmost priority during the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) scheduled to take place on September 13.

The doctors urged the PM to give an order to MCI/NTA to postpone NEET (UG) 2020 exam and fix a date when the situation will improve. They also requested the PM so that the NEET (UG) 2020 is conducted in two halves with full marks 360 instead of 720. The examination hall must be sanitised properly in between two halves which will split the student strength to maintain social distancing and also candidates will get relief of wearing face masks for long times.

The doctors also suggested conducting the NEET by both online mode and offline (pen & paper) mode that will also split the student load and help to maintain social distancing inside and outside of centres, moreover NRI students can appear the exam by online. Online centres of NTA already exist abroad for JEE (Mains) examination.

"We have also requested the PM to arrange exam centre(s) within 20 kilometres of the candidate's home towns. It has also been urged to arrange a separate examination hall, with the help of doctors, nurses and possible health-cares, for Covid suspects. We have also requested to lower the current student load of the examination centres to one-third," said the team of doctors led by Dr A.K Maity who was formerly attached to SSKM Hospital.

It may be mentioned that the Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on repeated occasions requested the Prime Minister to postpone the NEET. But the Centre seemed to have remained unmoved despite repeated pleas from the state government. The team of doctors also urged the Centre to postpone the medical entrance examination. As the Centre did not take any steps so far, the doctors have urged the PM to make the NTA take some precautionary measures so that the medical aspirants do not get infected while taking part in the examination.

Incidentally, the Bengal Chief Minister also urged the Prime Minister so that the Centre takes up the issue at

the Supreme Court so that the exam can be deferred. But the Centre is yet to come up with any decision in this regard.