NEET, JEE protests: Congress leaders detained in Delhi

Congress leaders and workers in Delhi, including state unit president Anil Kumar, were detained on Friday by the police while they were protesting against the Centre’s decision to hold the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) exams amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

Kumar told news agency PTI that several Congress leaders were also detained by the police and taken to the Mandir Marg police station from near the Shastri Bhavan.

Read: Congress leader Sachin Pilot calls for postponement of JEE, NEET

“The Centre and its education ministry are endangering the lives of 25 lakh students by being adamant on holding the JEE and NEET when the number of coronavirus cases is going up in the country,” he told PTI.

The Delhi Congress chief said that despite opposition from many students and their parents, as well as from several states, the Centre was not reconsidering its decision. He called this move unfortunate.

Read: NEET, JEE exams: 6 opposition-ruled states move SC seeking review of its decision

“We are only requesting the Modi government and its education ministry to postpone the two exams for some days till the COVID-19 situation is under control,” he said.

While the NEET is scheduled to be held on September 13, engineering entrance exam JEE-Main has been planned from September 1-6. Around 8.58 lakh candidates have registered for the JEE-Main and 15.97 lakh have registered for the NEET.

The exams have been deferred twice in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.