It’s a matter of fact that Covid-19 pandemic has thrown the entire country out of gear in an unprecedented way and it will require no expansive discussion to underline the severity of the situation as it stands now. Even if there are steady recoveries which have now crossed 23 lakh out of the total infection tally of 31.06 lakh as on Monday and fatality rate has also dropped to 1.85 %, it’s far from anything comfortable and ‘living on the edge’ will be the appropriate phrase to mirror the ground-level realities. Under this trying time, lakhs of students who will be taking 2020’s JEE and NEET scheduled in the first half of September are having sleepless nights. Despite their earnest pleas to the Central government for deferring these vital exams, no consideration has been shown which has only led to thickening of the fear factor. It’s also a great dilemma for parents in making the choice between career and safety of their wards. But, the mood, by and large, across the nation will suggest there is a deep anguish over the way things have taken shape where safety of students has not been given the desired priority.  

Not only JEE and NEET which are the most-vital medical and engineering entrance hurdles in the country, there is also a chorus for cancellation of CBSE compartmental exams of Classes X & XII and other major ones like UGC-NET and CLAT. Besides the token daylong hunger strike observed by more than 4000 aspirants across the country on Sunday, appeals using the hashtag “SATYAGRAH against Exam In Covid” on Twitter are being added each day. Regarding JEE/NEET, that what is particularly causing worry is the sheer number of students scheduled to take the exams-approximately 16 lakh registered for NEET-UG 2020 and nearly 9.3 lakh for JEE-Mains (Paper I) that was conducted before the pandemic’s outbreak in January and an almost a similar number is expected to appear in 2^nd phase, which after deferment from April/May and will now be held in September. A last-minute alteration seems a distant possibility since the Supreme Court on August 17 dismissed the plea for postponement allowing the National Testing Agency (NTA) to go ahead with the schedule.

If the fear of getting infected is the prime concern despite NTA’s assurance of making adequate safety arrangements, availability of public transport for reaching far-from-home exam centres will be a major challenge. Furthermore, little thoughts have been given over the fact that large areas in the Northeast are currently reeling under heavy floods making it virtually impossible for smooth conduct of exams either online or online.

It is most unfortunate that the feelings of students, who are the nation’s future and also the genuine actualities are being brazenly disregarded. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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