Amid continued pressure to postpone crucial competitive tests Joint Entrance Examination (Main) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), various national leaders and students activists have expressed views on whether or not these exams should be postponed or cancelled keeping COVID-19 pandemic in mind.

Meanwhile, the National Testing Agency (NTA) under the Union Education Ministry, which is responsible for organising the tests, has issued the admit cards for these exams on Wednesday amid the ongoing debate.

Leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Naveen Patnaik, Rahul Gandhi, Manish Sisodia have voiced the 'need' to postpone NEET and JEE keeping student's interests in mind. 

National Testing Agency (#NTA) released the admit card for #NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test).https://t.co/cz0ZNzW1RU@xpresstn @NewIndianXpress

— S Mannar Mannan (@mannar_mannan) August 26, 2020

TMC leader and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, at meeting, said chief ministers should go to Supreme Court again, seeking to postpone JEE, NEET exams.

Children are facing mental agony because of NEET/JEE exams during Covid-19: @MamataOfficial #NEET_JEE @NewIndianXpress

— richa sharma (@richa_TNIE) August 26, 2020

The Supreme Court had dismissed a plea seeking postponement of the two exams last week despite a spurt in the number of COVID-19 cases. The apex court had said precious year of students 'cannot be wasted' and life has to go on.

Rahul Gandhi in a tweet, written in Hindi, said that the Centre must listen to the demand of students and hear their opinion on whether to conduct the exams or not.

आज हमारे लाखों छात्र सरकार से कुछ कह रहे हैं। NEET, JEE परीक्षा के बारे में उनकी बात सुनी जानी चाहिए और सरकार को एक सार्थक हल निकालना चाहिए।

GOI must listen to the #StudentsKeMannKiBaat about NEET, JEE exams and arrive at an acceptable solution.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 23, 2020

Interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi convened a meeting, on Wednesday, with the chief ministers of seven states regarding NEET and JEE. The meeting is being attended by Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Jharkhan CM Hemant Soren among others. 

I have written to the @PMOIndia thrice asking that @ugc_india that postpone exams but we're told no and let's together approach the SC for this and seek a review on #NEETJEE postponment: @capt_amarinder @NewIndianXpress

— richa sharma (@richa_TNIE) August 26, 2020

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia said that the Centre should either postpone or find an alternative way to conduct NEET, JEE exams.

According to Tamil Nadu minister KA Sengottaiya, the state government has requested the Centre to scrap NEET or at least exempt students from the state from attending that exam if they were held

Our students' safety and wellbeing should be the only priority for the government.

In light of the very real threat of #COVID19, I urge Hon.@DrRPNishank to postpone the JEE, NEET exams immediately. #POSTPONEJEE_NEET pic.twitter.com/jpbkuYc0RL

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) August 24, 2020

Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy also came out supporting the Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik for postponing the test and requested other state chief minsiters to pitch in for the same.

A total of 9.53 lakh candidates have registered for JEE-Mains, 15.97 lakh students have registered for NEET, as per inputs from PTI.

"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.." said a NEET aspirant from Odisha.

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

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray participates in VC with Congress President Sonia Gandhi along with other states chief minister's. Thackeray raised various issues like non compensation of GST by Central govt, #JEE_NEET exams, threat to federal structure @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/D5LmyqcS3w

— Sudhir Suryawanshi (@ss_suryawanshi) August 26, 2020

Increasing the number of examination centres, alternate seating plan, fewer candidates per room and staggered entry and exit are among the steps the NTA will take for safely conducting NEET and JEE in September.

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​(Inputs from Agencies)