BHUBANESWAR: Sudeep Sudarshan Rana topped this year’s Plus II Science examination conducted by the Council of High Secondary Education. Originally from Bhuban block in Dhenkanal district, Sudeep had applied for Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main earlier this year and chosen Bhubaneswar as his entrance centre since he was studying in a private school in the city. Now, he is in a fix.
After COVID-19 lockdown was imposed and educational institutions were shut down in March, he went back home. Now, he has to travel to Bhubaneswar, worst COVID-hit City in the state, to appear for the exam amidst restrictions clamped. "I did not choose Dhenkanal since I was studying in Bhubaneswar. Now I cannot change it. Many of my friends are also facing the same dilemma," Sudeep says.
On a day when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal seeking postponement of JEE Main and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) to a later date, students remain apprehensive amidst the COVID surge in the State.
There is also overwhelming support to Naveen’s call for postponing the test. Even Rajya Sabha Member Subramanian Swamy came out supporting Naveen and called for other CMs to pitch in for the same. As per Centre’s announcement, JEE (Main) will be held from September 1 to 6, while NEET will take place on September 13.
Limited Centres
The National Testing Agency has selected seven places - Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore, Berhampur, Dhenkanal, Rourkela and Sambalpur -- as entrance centres for these tests in Odisha. Approximately 40,000 candidates will appear for JEE in these centres over 12 shifts, two shifts each day. Similarly, around 50,000 students will appear for the NEET.
A set of safety guidelines has already been issued by NTA to be followed by candidates in examination centres to maintain adequate social distancing. But that is not the main problem. The biggest challenge is travelling to the seven towns, using public transport, finding accommodation amidst the COVID-19 surge.
For students of Malkangiri, the southern-most district, JEE aspirant students are under severe tremendous mental pressure. So are the parents. The closest test centre in the State for them is Berhampur, about 440 km. Next is Sambalpur, about 490 km away. Else, they could choose to go to Vishakhapatnam.
JEE aspirant Govind Bairagi, son of a small farmer from MPV-41 village under Kalimela block, had chosen Sambalpur as his centre but he can only afford travelling in a bus, provided buses ply at that time. "It’s very difficult to maintain social distancing while traveling in a bus. Plus, I do not want to risk lives of my relatives by staying at their place in Sambalpur. I have worked hard for the examination and hopeful of qualifying it. But how do I go?" asks Govind. His father, Palash Bairagi admits he cannot arrange a private vehicle for his son’s journey to Sambalpur.
Another JEE aspirant from Malkangiri town, Sumit Kumar Roy has to appear the examination in Bhubaneswar. He is hopeful of cracking the test but upset over the Government’s decision to conduct the examination physically during the pandemic.
"Hotels and guest houses may not be available in Bhubaneswar. Moreover, there is risk associated with staying there. Besides, I have to hire a taxi to enable my son to travel to Bhubaneswar," Sumit’s headmaster father Subash Roy says. They will have to travel for 20 hours one way.
Distance Matters
For students from Koraput, Rayagada and Nabaragnpur districts, the same challenge awaits. The entrance centers are over 500 km away from their homes and it is difficult to travel with limited transportation available from the tribal areas.
"It is difficult for us to reach the examination centers due to irregular and limited bus plying from our areas," rues Badal Dash, a JEE candidate of Jeypore. As it is, most candidates are wary of getting accommodation where examination centers are located. Akshya Kumar Patnaik, a candidate of Umerkote, is actually contemplating to skip the entrance.
"I am confused because apart from transport, getting accommodation will be a problem," he adds. With COVID-19 case surging in coastal districts, many are having second thoughts about travelling to a hotspot. Swadhin Sahu, a candidate of Nabarangpur district, is one of them.
"Since risk of catching the virus is involved for those using public transport, students will be forced to book private vehicles to reach examination centres. However, all parents are not in a position to afford it," said educationist Sudhir Rout from Ganjam.
For students living in northern districts, similar obstacles are on the way. SK Serajuddin, who secured 535 marks out of 600 in Plus Two Science and was second topper in the district, plans to take a bike to Balasore which is his test centre. The distance is about 60 km.
"I will arrange a bike from my relative to go to Balasore as bus and other transport facilities are closed during weekend shutdown. Besides, I do not have relatives at Balasore. I have decided to go to the centre three hours before the examination," said Serajuddin who will appear for the NEET entrance.
Not everyone is opposed to the entrance tests being held as per schedule though. Principal of Delhi Public School (DPS), Rourkela Siddharth Rath is strongly in favour of holding JEE and NEET on schedule.
“Students are made to sit at safe distances and that distance can further be enhanced. If any student is found with mild symptoms, they can appear in isolation,” he said. RK Behera, a resident of the steel city whose daughter Ritika will take the JEE (Main) felt that if adequate safety precautions are maintained at the examination centre, there will be no harm. Ritika has downloaded her admit card and says she is mentally prepared.
Another parent Ajay Mallick says his daughter Anisha will take the NEET but he is apprehensive about sending her to the examination centre. Anisha, on her part, is scared but feels she cannot afford to lose a year by not appearing. For many students, the lockdown has brought its own set of stress.
The gloom surrounding the last six months has taken its toll on their preparations as well as frame of mind. Students say the COVID-19 pandemic affected their preparedness as e-learning was the only option available with them to prepare for the tests in absence of physical classes.
EXAM WORRY
National Testing Agency has selected Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore, Berhampur, Dhenkanal, Rourkela and Sambalpur as entrance centres for these tests in Odisha. Some of these towns are Covid hotspots
Travelling to the seven towns using public transport and finding accommodation amidst the Covid surge will be the biggest challenges for students
For students of Malkangiri, JEE aspirants have to travel to Berhampur, about 440 km, to write the test
With COVID-19 case surging in coastal districts, many students have second thoughts about travelling to a hotspot
(With inputs from Deba Prasad Dash, Sukanta Sahu, AK Mishra, Sisir Panigrahy, Prasanjit Sarkar)