The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET 2020) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE Main 2020) are scheduled to be held in the month of July. The exams were delayed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, with the number of cases steadily rising, it is extremely doubtful whether these entrances will be held as scheduled.
The Centre and the CBSE told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that they were holding discussions on whether to scrap the remaining exams of Class XII from July 1-15 in view of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases is at an advanced stage and a decision is likely to be taken on Wednesday. The National Testing Agency and the Ministry Human Resource Development (MHRD), reportedly, have been keeping close tabs on the hearing as the decision may affect JEE Main 2020 and NEET 2020 as well. The CBSE was expected to submit its decision to the Supreme Court on June 23, explaining its position on holding the remaining CBSE 10th and 12th Board Exams. However, now the decision stands postponed.
The final verdict that the Supreme Court delivers on the pending board exams is also likely to have a direct impact on upcoming competitive entrance exams including JEE and NEET. Amid all the uncertainty surrounding these exams, many students and parents are now demanding for it to be postponed further and have taken to Twitter with the hashtag #NoExamsinCOVID.
Neither the HRD Ministry nor the NTA — the testing authority — have, however, released any indication of postponing the exams yet. Some have also raised voices for cancellation of entrance exams as well and to grant admissions to the students based on merit positions. However, that might be unfair to a few students.
HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal recently reviewed the situation and held a meeting with the heads of CBSE as well as NTA along with heads of the All India Council for Technical Education and the University Grants Commission. There has been no information yet that the ministry would also postpone the exams, should the CBSE Board exams be cancelled. AICTE Chairman Dr Anil Sahasrabudhe recently told Edex that there is no specific clarity about any cancellation or the conduct of engineering admissions until any official announcement is made by the HRD ministry and "it is being continuously modified".
Until then, students are advised to keep a close watch at all the official websites of MHRD, NTA, AICTE, CBSE and UGC.
