While aspirants have been demanding further postponement of these exams, Sisodia demanded their cancellation.

As the dates for the JEE and NEET exams draw nearer amid online protests by aspirants, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia spoke out against the decision to conduct these competitive examinations in the current circumstances, stating that an alternative should be devised.

While aspirants have been demanding further postponement of these exams, Sisodia demanded their cancellation. “The central government is playing with the lives of lakhs of students in the name of JEE-NEET. I appeal to the centre to immediately cancel both exams and make alternative arrangements for admission this year. In an extraordinary crisis, resolution can be reached only through extraordinary steps,” he wrote on Twitter.

“Across the world, education institutes are adopting new methods of conducting admissions. Why can’t we do so in India? Is it sensible to put children’s lives at risk in the name of entrance examinations? The 21st century India can’t think of alternative to an entrance examination! This is not possible,” he said.