NEW DELHI: Amidst the ongoing row over conducting the NEET and JEE exams, six Cabinet ministers of opposition ruled West Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand on Friday jointly filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking their postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The review petitioners are West Bengal law minister Maloy Ghatak, Jharkhand finance minister Rameshwar Oraon, Rajasthan health minister Dr Raghu Sharma, Chhattisgarh food minister Amarjeet Bhagat, Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu and Maharashtra education minister Uday R Samant.
The ministers have sought a review of the top court’s August 17 order by which it had refused to postpone the exams saying life must go on.
The review petition stated that the exams need to be postponed to secure safety, security and right to life of students wanting to appear for it.
“It would be impossible to make provision for the huge logistics required for lakhs of students appearing in the examinations, including transport and lodging during the pandemic,” the plea stated.
While the JEE is scheduled from September 1 to 6, the NEET is scheduled for September 13.