NTA issues NEET admit cards amid cry over postponement

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has begun issuing admit cards for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2020 on the official website of the entrance examination.

Students can download their admit cards from the official website of NTA (nta.ac.in). The exam is slated for September 13, 2020

The NTA’s decision to conduct NEET and JEE amid the COVID-19 pandemic has elicited criticism from students, parents, politicians and academics alike.

While there have been demands to defer the exams, the NTA and the Education Ministry have refused to reconsider their decision.

Related news: Parents, students put pressure to conduct NEET, JEE: Education minister

The Supreme Court on August 17 had turned down a plea by students to postpone the exam stating that “life has to go and the career of the students cannot be put on peril for long and full academic year cannot be wasted.”

Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has assured that the decision by the ministry and NTA has been taken as a result of pressure from parents and students to conduct the exams, while assuring that all steps will be taken to ensure their safety during the conduct of the exams.

Earlier prominent national leaders including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Odisha and West Bengal chief ministers Naveen Patnaik and Mamata Banerjee had urged the Centre to postpone the exams.

Related news: Sonia, Mamata call CMs meet to discuss JEE-NEET

On Wednesday, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee convened a meeting of chief ministers of non-BJP ruled states to discuss the issue and exert pressure on the Centre to reconsider its decision.

While 8.58 lakh students have registered for JEE-Main (September 10 to 16), 15.97 lakh have registered for NEET.