NEET UG 2021: Important update for aspirants demanding postponement of entrance exam

In a big setback for medical profession aspirants who were demanding postponement of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or (NEET-UG) 2021, the ministry of education, for now, has not decided on any change in the schedule of the proposed examinations, said reports. Speaking to a leading daily, officials from the ministry of education have asserted that change in NEET-UG dates will defer the exam by at least 2 months due to logistical issues and may also lead to indefinite delay owing to other precariousness.

The development comes as a section of medical students is demanding a further deferment of the crucial test citing different reasons. Taking to social media websites, they are raising their concerns using various hashtags such as #shiftNEETUG, #postponeNEET. “When the JEE students’ concerns and demands can be fulfilled, why can’t ONE LEGITIMATE CONCERN of the NEET aspirants be fulfilled? Even after so many days of pleading from millions of students, why is the country turning a blind eye to us?” a student asked Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. 

@dpradhanbjp Sir Please hear demands of #NEET Aspirants to Postpone NEET 2021 Exam.

Shifting #NEET2021 Exam for few days will provide relief to NEET Aspirants and they will be able to give Exam without any tension.#shiftNEETUG #deferNEETUG#PostponeNEETUG https://t.co/sbl4PRSIh7

— Kotafactory (@kotafactorykota) August 26, 2021

ICAR AIEEA(UG) exam earlier scheduled on 13 September 2021 will now be
held on 9 September 2021. There will be no ICAR AIEEA(UG) on 13 September 2021.

Now CBSE Physics paper and ICAR UG exam on the same day.

Again worst decision by NTA.@dpradhanbjp #PostponeNEETUG pic.twitter.com/eQQJmXE1Mb — Kriti (@Kriti14822) August 21, 2021

NEET Exam date is clashing with other exams including #CBSE Private student exams.
.@DG_NTA kimdl take a call@cbseindia29 who is responsible for this uncertainty ?#PostponeNEETUG — Ayush Sharma (@neuroayush) August 21, 2021

Back-to-back Exams in the first two weeks of September

One of the major issues highlighted by them is that the NEET exam dates clash with other entrances and board examinations like  ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) on September 13. MHT CET 2021 (September 4 to 10) and from (September 14 to 20). CBSE Class 12 Mathematics paper will be conducted will be held on September 13. CBSE private exams, Class 12 improvement, and compartment exams are also scheduled to be held next month.

Expert's take: 

Contrary to students,  experts, on the other hand, believe that the exam date is suitable given the current circumstances. “The exam was earlier scheduled to be held on August 1 but it has been delayed by more than a month. As per medical experts, the third wave of the coronavirus outbreak is expected to hit the country around September-end or October. There is already a shortage of doctors in the country, missing out on even one batch of upcoming doctors will deeply impact the healthcare sector in the long run,” Indian Express quoted Saurabh Kumar, Director Academics, Vidyamandir Classes as saying.

Echoing similar sentiments, MD Habeeb, NEET academic head, Narayana Group, said that students must understand the value of one academic year.

Notably, the Medical entrance exam (NEET) for over 16 lakh registered students, which was earlier scheduled for August 1, had to be deferred due to an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases during the second wave. The entrance test will now be conducted on September 12.