JEE & NEET Row: IIT Kharagpur Director Supports Holding Exams, Urges Students to Adapt to New Normal

Amid the furore over conducting NEET and JEE examinations under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, IIT-Kharagpur Director Virendra Tewari on Thursday urged students to put their faith in the organising bodies “who have been working to offer a safe environment to hold the exams”.

“It is quite interesting to see the views of a section of engineering and medical aspirants and also from a section of people anxious about the present pandemic situation. Conducting JEE and NEET is critical, without which admissions cannot be held in institutions like IITs and top medical colleges,” he said.

“The aspirants need to put their faith in the organising bodies who have been working incessantly to offer a safe environment towards the logistical requirements for holding these examinations under the current situation. Necessary facilities have been arranged for the students to ensure social distancing, hygiene protocols and even facilitation for probable asymptomatic cases,” he added.

Tewari suggested that students should adopt the new normal now.

“A quick alternative to JEE Mains and JEE Advanced will certainly not be as gratifying as competing for this examination by all fair means. Also, it could be misused as a precedent to dilute the entire admission process to the IIT system which may prove to be harmful for the quality of undergraduate education at the IITs,” he added.