Source: News18

The National Testing Agency (NTA)�s decision to go ahead with the NEET and JE exams has caused a massive upheaval with students across the country planning a protest from their homes tomorrow, demanding postponement or cancellation of exams given the alarming rise in coronavirus cases. From 8am, students across India eligible for the exams are set to �raise Black Flags from homes, tie black bands on arm or forehead, wear black mask, turn their profile pictures BLACK!� to protest against the decision. Several opposition leaders as well as state government have also asked the Centre to do a rethink on the exams as the Covid-19 cases continue to surge. Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have convened a meeting of opposition chief ministers on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the issue of holding NEET and JEE Main examination next month amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Banerjee on Tuesday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Centre should appeal against the Supreme Court order for holding the JEE and NEET examinations during the COVID-19 outbreak to ensure the aspirants are free from "mental agony". She wrote to Modi after the state government received a letter from the National Testing Agency to conduct the JEE/NEET examinations starting from September 1. "I am aware that the Hon'ble Supreme Court has given a verdict on holding JEE/NEET examinations and the central government has been issuing instructions to go ahead with it accordingly. However, I would like to request for your kind intervention and to consider the central government making an appeal to the Hon'ble apex court to review its decision in the interest of the student community, so that they are free from mental agony and mental disaster," Banerjee wrote in the letter. "Such intervention is very much essential in the larger interest of the students to facilitate creating a situation whereby the students will neither be subjected to grave health risk nor they will be facing a career risk," she wrote. "We are really worried and concerned."

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Sonu Sood Wants Postponement of NEET, JEE Exams
Actor Sonu Sood said today - "This is not an examination only for students. It�s an examination for the government too. The government has an opportunity to excel by postponing #JEE_NEET for 60 days. Make it happen and bring those smiles back. Students & Govt. can prepare in this time window. #PostponeJEE_NEET."

This is not an examination only for students.
It�s an examination for the Government too.
Govt. has an opportunity to excel by postponing #JEE_NEET for 60 days.
Make it happen and bring those smiles back.
Students & Govt. can prepare in this time window. #PostponeJEE_NEET https://t.co/of7z1yxgYR

— sonu sood (@SonuSood) August 26, 2020

On Friday, Education Ministry officials had said the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) will be conducted in September as scheduled.

NSUI Strikes Against Exams During Covid-19:

National President @nsui Shri @Neerajkundan and members have begun the hunger strike in staunch protest against the cruel and irresponsible decision of the govt to call for national exams during a health crisis.

Postpone exams and save our students.#AntiStudentModiGovt pic.twitter.com/hoia2rziWa

— Youth Congress (@IYC) August 26, 2020

Jaiveer Shergill: 'BJP Does Not Care of Students' Health'
INC Spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill today protested against the JEE, NEET exams, which are to be held amid Covid-19, and said that the government was 'Student Vidrohi'.

Courts: Virtual Hearing

Parliament: No Session

Airports: Restricted Flights

Large Gatherings: Not permitted

Exams: Students should Gather & Give

Reason: Govt is �Student Virodhi�

Students are India�s Wealth but BJP does not Care about their Health#AntiStudentModiGovt

— Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) August 26, 2020

'Satyagrah Against Exam in Covid'
According to the leftist All India Students Association (AISA), over 4,200 students observed the day-long hunger strike at their respective home demanding that CBSE compartment exams of Classes 10 and 12 be cancelled and entrance exams such as the UGC-NET, CLAT, NEET and JEE be postponed. Using the hashtag, SATYAGRAHagainstExamInCovid, many students also took to Twitter to appeal to the government to heed to their demands.

The chorus for postponing various examinations, including NEET and JEE, grew louder on Sunday with over 4,000 students observing a day-long hunger strike to press for the demand in view of rising COVID-19 cases.