Supreme Court to hear review petition of 6 states against conducting JEE and NEET examinations today

New Delhi:  The Supreme Court is all set to hear a review petition filed by ministers of 6 opposition-ruled states today, against its August 17 order allowing the National Test Agency (NTA) to hold NEET and JEE exams in September, amid nationwide increase in coronavirus cases. 

 Despite pleas from various quarters to defer the exam in view of the coronavirus pandemic, the court had refused to oblige, saying the future of the students should not be jeopardized.

The hearing is scheduled for 1:30pm today. A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, BR Gavai and Krishna Murari will consider the review plea in chambers.

The apex court, in its judgement, upheld the Centre’s decision to hold the competitive examinations and said, “A crucial year of students cannot be wasted and life has to go on” while dismissing the students’ pleas for postponement. The ministers of six non-BJP-ruled states had said that the Supreme Court’s order failed to secure students’ “right to life” and ignored “teething logistical difficulties” to be faced in conducting the exams during the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the two tests, is holding JEE Main Exams from September 1 to September 6, while NEET will be held on September 13. Over 8 lakh engineering aspirants are giving the exams as we write and over 12 lakh are expected to appear for the medical entrance test i.e NEET.