Greta Thunberg supports students’ demand for postponement of NEET, JEE exams due to Covid-19 outbreak

Climate activists Greta Thunberg wears a face mask as she arrives for a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany,. (Courtesy: AP photo/ File)

The Indian students’ demand for postponement of NEET, JEE and other competitive exams due to Covid-19 outbreak has received support from unusual quarters this time. Swedish teen climate change activist Greta Thunberg rallied behind Indian students saying that it is ‘deeply unfair’ that students are being asked to appear for crucial exams during a raging pandemic.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Greta wrote: “It’s deeply unfair that students of India are asked to sit national exams during the Covid-19 pandemic and while millions have also been impacted by the extreme floods. I stand with their call to #PostponeJEE_NEETinCOVID”

It’s deeply unfair that students of India are asked to sit national exams during the Covid-19 pandemic and while millions have also been impacted by the extreme floods. I stand with their call to #PostponeJEE_NEETinCOVID

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) August 25, 2020

Across India, several students and political leaders, including Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Lok Janshakti Party president Chirag Paswan, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and DMK President MK Stalin, have asked the government to postpone the competitive exams until the spread of COVID-19 is brought under control.

Thunberg, 17, who rallied around the world creating awareness about global warming and environmental issues, returned to school after a gap of one year after the Swedish government allowed high school-level classes to resume this week.

She was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2019 for her activism on climate change.

On Tuesday, over 4,000 students observed a day-long hunger strike to press for their demand for postponement of various examinations, including NEET and JEE, PTI reported.

The report quoted the leftist All India Students Association (AISA) as claiming that over 4,200 students observed a day-long fast at their homes demanding that the government cancel the CBSE compartment exams of Classes 10 and 12 and that the competitive exams like UGC-NET, CLAT, NEET and JEE be postponed.

The JEE (Main) is scheduled to be held between September 1 and 6, while the JEE (Advanced) on September 27. The NEET will be held on September 13.