Supreme Court to hear review petition today seeking postponement of JEE, NEET

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday will hear the review petition filed by six Cabinet Ministers from Opposition-ruled states against the previous order of the apex court declining to postpone NEET-UG and JEE (Mains) exams amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The plea has been filed by six Cabinet Ministers from West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Punjab and Rajasthan. They approached the top court on August 28 seeking a postponement of the examinations in view of the coronavirus crisis.

The matter will be heard by he Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, BR Gavai and Krishna Murari on Friday (September 4, 2020).

On August 17, the top court had dismissed a plea seeking postponement of the NEET and JEE exams. "Life cannot be stopped, the career of students cannot be put in jeopardy", the Supreme Court had remarked.

The review petition filed through advocate Sunil Fernandes, states that the August 17 order is "cryptic" and "non-speaking" and that it does not take into account the complexities involved and the risk conducting an examination of this scale in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The plea also cites the lack of facilities such as transport, hotels and restaurants as factors that could cause discomfort to students appearing for these exams. 

JEE, which was scheduled from September 1 to 6, is underway and NEET will be conducted on September 13.