GUWAHATI, Aug 28 - The Congress today staged a demonstration at the TC School point here demanding postponement of the national entrance exams for engineering and medical courses in view of the mass transmission of COVID-19.
The demonstration was part of the party�s nationwide protest against the government�s decision to hold the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) in early September. The protesters were led by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Ripun Bora.
�The decision to hold the JEE and NEET is inhuman and detrimental to the student community. The COVID-19 situation in the country is very serious and the number of infected persons is rising every day. In such a situation, we demand the Central government not to hold any kind of exams considering the safety of our students,� Bora said.
�Congress president Sonia Gandhi and leader Rahul Gandhi repeatedly demanded postponement of the exams due to the pandemic. Despite all this, the government is adamant on conducting the examinations,� he added.
�The Assam PCC and all its district units staged protest demonstrations against the Centre�s decision. Through our protest, we again demanded the Modi government to listen to the people and the student community,� he said. The Centre, however, stated that it had taken the decision to hold the all-India exams owing to constant pressure from parents and students despite the risk posed by COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the Assam State unit of National Students� Union of India (NSUI) observed a hunger strike at Rajiv Bhawan here demanding postponement of the exams. �We want the Central government to reconsider its decision. Due to the pandemic, all examinations should be deferred keeping in view the safety of the future generation of India,� said Assam State NSUI unit president Jyotibikash Changmai.
