'Injustice to Students': Activist Licypriya Kangujam Protests Outside Education Min's Residence Requesting JEE-NEET Postponement

Calling the holding of JEE and NEET exams 2020 “injustice to students”, Licypriya Kangujam, an eight-year-old climate activist, on Friday staged a protest outside the official residence of Union Education Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in Delhi, requesting him to postpone the upcoming JEE and NEET examinations, amid the rising cases of Covid-19 in the country.

Licypriya, who had addressed at the United Nations Climate Conference 2019 held in Spain, tweeted, “Just did my final protest at the main gate of the official residence of Hon’ble Minister of Education @DrRPNishank to tell it was injustice he is doing to Students forcibly with all his full power in this peak COVID19 situation in the country. YOU WON BY LIE BUT WE WON BY TRUTH.”

Earlier in the day ahead of the final verdict, she also protested holding a placard, which reads, “Postpone NEET JEE and all exams in Covid-19! Justice for students”. “Protest begin to postpone NEET JEE and all other exams during COVID19 pandemic in front of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. NO JUSTICE; NO REST,” she had tweeted.

However, as soon as the Supreme Court dismissed rejected a review petition seeking the postponement of Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), saying, “will go ahead on the dates allotted as scheduled”, Licypriya tweeted, “We lost but I will come back after doing something. Will not come back freely.”

For the unversed, the Supreme Court today heard the petition filed by ministers of six opposition-ruled states seeking review of its August 17 order allowing holding of NEET and JEE exams physically. A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, BR Gavai and Krishna Murari considered the review plea in chambers. The ministers had said the top 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 both exams, is holding JEE Main Exams from September 1 to September 6, while NEET will be held on September 13.

At the age of 8, Licypriya, who is from Manipur, has traveled to 32 countries so far and is one of the youngest climate activists globally. She has been campaigning for climate action in India for two years to pass new laws to control country’s high pollution levels and to make climate change literacy mandatory in all schools.