Academic community comes in support of government’s decision to conduct JEE/NEET; The future of students cannot be held to ransom, say over 150 academicians

A group of academicians have come together and written a letter to PM Narendra Modi, expressing their support to the government’s decision to conduct JEE/NEET as planned. In their letter, the Academics4Nation group and its signatories have written that the academic community supports the government’s decision to conduct the tests. They have supported the move with the hope that students will not lose one crucial year, they write in the letter.

“It is high time that the academic calendar for 2020-21 is gradually rolled out. The future of students cannot be held to ransom in the wake of Corona crisis”, they say in the letter.

The academicians say that over the last five months, the government and people have learnt about the virus and the necessary precautions. “Five months ago we needed to pause and understand. Today we need to stand up and ensure that the future of our students is safe. The government has assured that the required measures will be kept in mind while conducting the exams. We support this move with the hope that students will not lose crucial years due to the pandemic”, they opine.

They further write, “Youth and students are the future of the nation but in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, clouds of uncertainty have gathered over their careers too. There are a lot of apprehensions about admissions and classes which need to be resolved at the earliest”.

Expressing their support to conducting the exams, they write that they wholeheartedly welcome the move. The Honourable Supreme Court too dismissed a petition for postponement of these exams saying that any further delay in conducting the tests would result in waste of precious year for students. “The dreams and future of our youth and students cannot be compromised at any cost”, they write.

“We the members of academic fraternity fully support the government decision to conduct JEE and NEET exams”, they conclude their letter.

The Academics4Nation letter to the PM has been signed by over 150 professors, lecturers, academics from universities and colleges across the country.