Congress launches campaign against holding of NEET, JEE exams; Rahul asks people to speak up for students' safety

Congress on Friday pulled out all stops to demand postponement of the NEET/JEE examinations scheduled next week with party chief Sonia Gandhi urging the Modi government to listen to the students in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Congress and like-minded parties such as Shiv Sena, Trinamool Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha also filed a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging its August 17 order that allowed the Centre to go ahead with the NEET/JEE exams in September.

Also Read | Listen to student voices, act as per their wishes: Sonia to govt on NEET, JEE

“You are our future. We depend on you to build a better India. Therefore, if any decision has to be taken regarding your future, it is important that it is being taken with your concurrence,” Gandhi said.

National Students Union of India (NSUI) and Youth Congress activists hit the streets to protest the government’s “insistence” on holding the examinations. The party leaders whipped up Twitter-storm posting messages and short videos against the holding of the NEET, JEE examinations.

READ: SC upholds UGC notification; University exams to be held by September 30

“My message to the Government of India – Please, you have already caused enough destruction to them. You have hurt the students of this country. Please, listen to them. Have a conversation and resolve this issue peacefully,” Rahul Gandhi said.

“It is absolutely necessary to listen to the concerned students and their parents as the coronavirus cases continue to rise. These children are the future of this country. It is essential to be considerate towards the students’ concerns instead of looking at it with a political outlook,” Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that aspirants were worried about the decision to go ahead with NEET, JEE exams because of fear of Covid-19, the rise in cases, transport & lodging issues.

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Congress social media department chairman Rohan Gupta said party workers had posted more than 24 lakh tweets to support its campaign against NEET, JEE exams.

“The voice of the students is very clear. It is upto the Modi government to keep its arrogance aside and listen to it,” Gupta said.