Ranchi: A day after highlighting the need of postponing National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) examinations at the nation level, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren wrote to Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank describing the present situation of Jharkhand amid lockdown during Covid-19 pandemic crisis.
CM Soren in his two page letter to the education minister pointed out how the Jharkhand government has not yet permitted the commencement of public transportation and opening of restaurants and hotels since lockdown had begun in March. He maintained that conducting NEET, JEE examinations could have serious consequences for students and state during Covid-19 pandemic.
“Moreover, many examinees would be from containment zones, the candidate or his/her family members may be infected too, and could infect others while appearing for examination. This could be life threatening for them and others, so in public interest, the examination should be postponed,” Jharkhand chief Minister’s letter stated. It also maintained that in the wake of non-opening of hotels and lodges, the parents along with the examiners could have serious accommodation problem if the examination is conducted.
In the letter CM Soren highlighted how people were leading a stressed life because of the pandemic. Given the fact that these exams are professional exams, that decide the future course of studies of the aspirants, Soren added, “These exams are extremely critical in the life of the students. The success or otherwise decides the future life of the examinee. Hence, it becomes necessary that they appear for the exam in the best mental frame.”
On Wednesday, while interacting with the opposition Chief Ministers, Hemant Soren had also said that a united group comprising chief ministers from the Opposition should meet President of India Ramnath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put forward their demand for the cancellation of the examination.
The chief ministers who had interacted together on the issue with Congress President Sonia Gandhi were Bengal chief minister Mamta Banerjee, her Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Chattisgarh’s Bhupesh Baghel and Puducherry’s V Narayanasamy and they all almost echoed Soren.
Mamata Banerjee had even said to knock the door of Supreme Court on the issue.
