Students from across the country, adversely affected by the pandemic, shutdowns and floods are growing more anxious as the dates for NEET and JEE draw closer. Some haven’t been out of their homes for months, some are reeling from devastation caused by floods, absence of transport facilities is the concern of some students, and many are worried that they, along with their parents who’ll accompany them to the test centres, could get infected by the novel Coronavirus.
Joyswer Mondal from West Bengal studied hard for NEET, but says, “I stay in Malda district and my centre is at Salt Lake Sector V in North 24-Parganas. How will I travel so many kilometres to appear for my examination? On September 11 and 12, the West Bengal government announced a lockdown and on September 13, 2020 is my examination. Do you think it is possible for me to travel from Malda to North 24-Parganas to appear for examination under this situation?”
Similar concerns were expressed by Chaitanya Tanaji Deshmukh, from Parali in Marathwada, who is preparing for NEET. “There are only 2 centres here. One is in Aurangabad and the other in Latur. Aurangabad is 250 kms away. Latur is 100 kms away. How will we travel if there is no public transport? Also, how will social distancing be maintained during travel and gathering?” he wondered.
This was a concern that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also raised in the meeting of the seven opposition Chief Ministers on Wednesday – the fact that local shutdowns will hamper the movement of students going to appear for the competitive exams.
Another concern raised in that discussion was the large-scale movement of people, the students, the female students especially who are more likely to be accompanied by their parents to the test centres, exposing them to the pandemic.
Ishika Jaiswal says she studied quite hard for the tests but says that the centre’s decision to hold the exams on schedule has put her under “tremendous stress”.
She is afraid “that my father may get infected by the virus because hundreds of students and parents will be there at my centre at Budge Budge in South 24-Parganas. The situation is alarming and I am mentally devastated on how to cope up with the situation.”
Debleena Das is in a similar fix. “My parents will be travelling with me to the examination centre because it is far from my house. I stay in Nimta in Belghoria and my examination centre is at Dunlop. My parents are old and there are high chances that we all get infected with the virus.”
Some students said they needed time to build immunity against the virus. “I am preparing for my engineering entrance examination. I feel that the JEE exams should happen not before September as this virus is going to stay. We have to build our immunity and fight it out and move ahead,” 18-year-old Risheel Chheda said.
Sahil Parvez, a medical student from Madhya Pradesh, says, “Pandemic has just peaked so conducting exams now is quite risky. Our only concern is that what if a single life is lost due to the exams. If the government is hell-bent on going ahead with the tests, it should take responsibilities for each and every student taking the test. Secondly, what about those students hailing to far flung areas as there is no transportation around. What if they miss the chance to appear in tests?”
So severe is the stress, Mamata Banerjee described it as ‘mental torture’ for the students, that a 19-year-old girl preparing for the NEET examinations apparently unable to cope with the tension, killed herself two days ago.
PSK Ganapathi from Namakkal, parent of a student who has been studying for NEET single-mindedly, shared his feelings. “For the last six months, the students have not been able to attend their coaching classes. They have been subject to severe mental stress. In this scenario, they’ve been told that the NEET exams will be held this year. For the urban students, things are a lot better. They should consider the plight of students in rural and backward areas. The Centre’s attitude is such that it results in the killing of the dreams of several rural students.”
Another parent Senthilkumar, from Tamil Nadu, said, “We have been in a lockdown mode for the last six months. No one has even stepped out since March. Given this scenario, how can my son attend coaching classes and appear for the exams? His future will be ruined if the NEET exam is conducted this year.”
Many students feel that the government isn’t really listening to their voices. The education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal in a recent interview said that despite the protests against NEET, 17 lakh admit cards had been downloaded, which, he said, meant that students wanted exams at any cost.
“JEE, NEET exams shape up future doctors and engineers and if they aren’t prepared for the tests, the government should listen to them, respecting their decision and views. At least someone from the government side should speak to the student fraternity to allay their apprehensions over the exams. It’s a good way to make them understand what are the harms of not holding the tests, if at all the tests can’t be avoided,” said Asma Khan, a student activist.
The Union education ministry has said that it will stand by its decision to hold the exams. Over 25 lakh students are to take the tests—the medical entrance exam NEET and the engineering entrance exam JEE (mains) over the next few days.
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