JEE Main, NEET 2020: Amid a growing chorus for the postponement of Joint Entrance Examination and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on Thursday said that the entrance exams will be conducted on demands of the students. Over 17 lakh candidates have downloaded their admit cards for the engineering, medical entrance exams till now, and this shows students want exams to be conducted at any cost, Pokhriyal said. READ | Lockdown Diaries: 7 students from around the world share their lockdown experiences "National Testing Agency (NTA) officials told me that over 7 lakh candidates have downloaded JEE-Main admit cards while over 10 lakh aspirants have downloaded NEET admit cards. This shows that students want the exams be held at any cost," Pokhriyal said. Please check my views on JEE and NEET examinations. Decisions are being taken holistically, keeping the career of students in mind. — Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) August 27, 2020 The minister has also received emails from students and parents supporting governments decisions to conduct the entrance. "We have received mails from students and parents who are in favour of holding exams as they have been preparing for the exams from at least two-three years," the minister added. JEE Main, NEET 2020 LIVE Updates: Education Minister says exams to be conducted on students’ demand IN VIDEO | What is NEET, JEE exams controversy? Meanwhile, from students to politicians, voices are being raised against conducting the exams. In a meeting of Opposition CMs convened by Sonia Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked all opposition chief ministers to jointly approach the Supreme Court for postponement of JEE and NEET exams in view of Covid-19 while Congress chief Sonia Gandhi contended that students’ problems were being dealt “uncaringly” by the Centre. The National Testing Agency (NTA) earlier announced that the entrance exam will be held as per schedule following the Supreme Court order. Over 9 lakh had applied to appear for JEE Main while nearly 16 lakh registered for NEET. The number of exam centres, claims NTA, have also been increased by almost double to ensure the safety of students.
