Citing the data of 78,000 new COVID-19 cases in the country, a minor JEE aspirant has written a letter to Chief Justice of India, SA Bobde, urging the Supreme Court to postpone September-scheduled NEET-UG and JEE (Mains) exams by a month or two.
The letter sent through Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava states that a further time of 1.5 to 2 months will help in avoiding the monsoon induced floods and also give time to the States to prepare for handling the students appearing for the exams in accordance with the Center’s COVID-19 SOP.
The letter takes umbrage under the recent findings that COVID-19 may be airborne. Thus, a concern is raised that students are more likely to get infected at exam centers and thereafter spread the infection to their families including the aged and elderly.
The letter also states that wearing a mask for five to six hours during the examination would lead to a reduced supply of oxygen into the brain and impact their performance.
Notably, it is also pointed out that differently-able (Divyang) aspirants would stand to suffer, particularly visually impaired students who rely on physical touch for their day-to-day activities.
The minor student further mentions the review plea filed against the August 17 judgment of the top court by six cabinet ministers from opposition ruled states seeking the postponement of the JEE and NEET exams.
This letter comes soon after Aman Banka, a third-year law student, and Aditya Dubey, a 12th standard student wrote to the CJI urging that the exams should be postponed till normalcy is restored as nothing is “more important than human lives.”
On August 17, the Supreme Court dismissed petitions seeking the postponement of the JEE and NEET examinations scheduled to be held amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
