Opposition united against the central government’s move to conduct the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) during the Kovid period. Protests against the conduct of the exams are turning into a united opposition against the BJP-led NDA government. The argument is that trials should not be held when the Kovid epidemic and floods are making the country miserable. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Monday.
Though the issue of entrance exams is to be discussed, the meeting between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday will give many political dimensions. The West Bengal Chief Minister called on Sonia Gandhi, who is continuing as interim chairperson, on the eve of the end of the working committee meeting to discuss the Congress-led letter controversy and the presidential election. The meeting also proves that they are not alienated from the Congress leadership in the run-up to the Assembly elections in West Bengal next year.
And other states participating in the discussion
Chief ministers of several other states also attended the meeting between Sonia Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee on the NEET issue via video conference. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gellot, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Bhagal and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayana Swamy were present on the occasion via video conference. Apart from NEET and Kovid issues, issues related to GST were also discussed at the meeting. Political circles are watching to see if the opposition, led by Sonia Gandhi, will regain power.
Mamata Banerjee urges Modi to postpone exams
Earlier, Mamata Banerjee had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to postpone the NEET and JEE exams. During the Kovid period the need was not to endanger the health of the students. At the last meeting, Modi had asked Jio to postpone the exams. But now the Ministry of Education has issued guidelines for the exam. Mamata said it was the duty of all of them to consider the health of the students.
Department of Education with explanation
Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokriyal has come out with an explanation as the demand for postponing the exams is getting stronger. He said the Union Ministry of Education was preparing to conduct the exams despite the corona virus crisis, despite intense pressure from students and parents. ‘They are under constant pressure from parents and students. Questions are also being raised as to why JEE does not conduct NEET exams. The students are very worried. They are thinking how long we have to continue our studies, ”he said.
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