NEET and JEE Main 2020: Supreme Court rejects plea of 6 non-BJP states against holding of exams

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a petition by cabinet ministers of six non-BJP ruled states seeking review of its August 17 order allowing holding of NEET-UG and JEE (Mains) examinations.

The SC bench  comprising of Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice B R Gavai and Justice Krishna Murari refused to entertain the review petition filed by minister's from West Bengal, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Punjab , Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh saying there is no merit in the plea.

Cabinet ministers from Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand had moved the SC on last Friday seeking deferment of NEET-UG and JEE (Main) to protect over 25 lakh students from serious health risk given the rising number of infections and deaths from Covid-19.

The petitioners contended that if the August 17 order is not reviewed, then grave and irreparable harm and injury would befall the student community of the country and it will impact health, welfare and safety of the students/candidates appearing for the NEET/JEE examinations.

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)-Main, which was earlier deferred twice in view of Covid-19 pandemic, is now underway -- from September 1 to 6.

The JEE-Main is the first large-scale exam to be conducted in the country amid the pandemic.

Over 9 lakh candidates have registered for the exam for admission to engineering courses in IITs, NITs and Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs).

The National Testing Agency has taken several steps to conduct the crucial exam safely: increasing the number of examination centres, alternate seating plans, fewer candidates per room and staggered entry and exit, among others.

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