NEET on schedule as Supreme Court refuses to intervene

‘Problems will not die by changing dates. Whatever date is fixed, there might be some difficulty’, says court.

Students checking their names before appearing for NEET in 2019. File photo

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) will be held on schedule on September 13 with the Supreme Court on Wednesday refusing to intervene in various petitions seeking postponement of examinations to providing facilities for aspirants.

One of the petitions, represented by advocate Shoeb Alam, even sought the use of admit cards as curfew passes in containment zones. Mr. Alam said a “slight nudge” from the court would go a long way to ensure the safety of lakhs of candidates taking the exam across the country.

Senior advocate K.T.S. Tulsi urged the court to even postpone the exams, saying the novel coronavirus infection count was steadily climbing and had reached 90,000 a day.

Senior advocate Arvind Datar said States such as Bihar had only two exam centres. Aspirants had to journey miles, exposing themselves and others to infection.

But the court said it would not be possible for authorities to conduct NEET, which requires to be held simultaneously across the country, on different dates in different States.

‘Precautions taken’

“The authorities have taken all precautions,” the Bench said.

The court reasoned that problems would not die by changing dates. Whatever date was fixed, there might be some difficulty.

Mr. Alam said his petitioner was not seeking a quashing of the NEET but only for facilities to be provided for students. Mr. Datar sought a postponement by three weeks, but the court declined.

The court had recently heard a review plea filed jointly by serving government Ministers from six non-BJP States against the conduct of JEE Mains and NEET-UG exams amid the pandemic. The JEE was conducted between September 1 and 6.

On August 17, the court had refused to entertain a petition by students to postpone the NEET and JEE citing the pandemic after recording the exam authorities assurance that all necessary precautions will be taken to keep safe the candidates, who run into lakhs.

“Education should be opened up. COVID may continue for a year more. Are you going to wait for another year. Do you know what is the loss to the country and the career peril to the students?” the court had asked the petitioners then.