The pandemic has halted our lives completely for a better part of the year. With everyone working from home and students studying online, we’re all trying to put safety first. However, the engineering and medical entrance exams are still being held on September 1-6 (JEE Mains) and September 13 (NEET) by the Indian government. 

Hastags like #SATYAGRAHagainstExamInCovid, #INDIAagainstExamsInCovid and #PostponeJEE_NEETinCovid are trending on Twitter as students are protesting the entrance examinations, online. 

Apart from mental well being, students also fear their safety as they make their way to write these exams. The All India Student Association wants all NEET-JEE, UPSC, CLAT, NDA and University/College Entrance Exams to be postponed and CBSE Compartment, Final Year Exams and Gujrat Purak pariksha to be cancelled in this academic year. 

Twitter
My examination centre is 60 km from my home and my reporting time is 7.30 am. I live with my brother and sister in Delhi, and we don’t own a vehicle. How will I manage to reach that early when there is no metro in Delhi?

-a student told NewsLaundry

They themselves have virtual meetings…but they expect lakhs of us to physically sit for the exams. Are we resistant to Covid? What if I get affected by the virus? Who will take the responsibility, the human resource ministry or the Supreme Court?

-a student told NewsLaundry

National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) president, Neeraj Kundan and the president of the Delhi wing of the students’ body sat down for a hunger strike along with eight other members on Wednesday. They’re demanding for postponement of the exams as well as a 6-month fees waiver. 

Many prominent members of the society including West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Rahul Gandhi, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray, BSP Supremo Mayawati, Sonu Sood and Greta Thunberg are voicing their support for the safety of the students.