NEET, JEE 2020: SC dismisses 6-Opposition ruled states review plea, says exams will go on as scheduled
The JEE (Main) is being held from September 1 to 6, while NEET exams for admission to undergraduate courses in medical colleges are scheduled for September 13.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of Friday (September 4) dismissed the review petition filed by ministers of six opposition-ruled states, rejecting the request to postpone NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) and JEE exams (Joint Entrance Exam) during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The ministers in the plea had claimed that the top court order failed to secure students' "right to life" and ignored "teething logistical difficulties" to be faced in conducting the exams during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The review plea has been filed by ministers from West Bengal (Moloy Ghatak), Jharkhand (Rameshwar Oraon), Rajasthan (Raghu Sharma), Chhattisgarh (Amarjeet Bhagat), Punjab (B S Sidhu) and Maharashtra (Uday Ravindra Sawant).
Also read: NEET, JEE 2020: Students want exams to be held, says Education minister
A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, B R Gavai and Krishna Murari considered the review plea in chambers.
The apex court had on August 17 dismissed a plea by one Sayantan Biswas and others seeking direction to NTA to postpone them after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured that all safeguards would be taken.
Maharashtra, Bengal, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Puducherry had decided to request the court to reconsider its decision in the interest of students.
JEE started on September 1 and will continue till September 6 and the NEET exam is to be held on September 13. The state governments that petitioned the court, like Bengal, claim that lakhs of students were unable to take the exam.