'Sorry, not inclined...': SC refuses to hear pleas on postponement of NEET exam

The Supreme Court on Wednesday has refused to hear a fresh batch of petitions seeking cancellations or postponement of the NEET examination scheduled for September 13. A bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan said, "Sorry, we are not inclined to entertain".

Justice Bhushan said that authorities will take necessary actions to conduct the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exam despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The bench said that all arrangements have been made by the authorities to hold the exam.

Now everything is closed, even review is dismissed, the bench said, adding that only the NEET exam is left now and JEE is over. The NEET-UG exam has been cancelled twice this year on May 3 and July 26 due to coronavirus outbreak.

Referring to the flood-like situation in Bihar, senior advocate Arvind Datar, said only two centres are made at Patna and Gaya. It should be postponed by a few weeks.

Senior advocate K T S Tulsi, who was appearing for one of the petitioners, said that people residing in containment zones are not allowed to come out of their house. How can they give exams, Tulsi said.

The apex court on September 4 cancelled the plea of ministers of six opposition-ruled states regarding the cancellation of the undergraduate medical exam.

The top court on August 17 dismissed a plea that had sought postponement of JEE (Main) April 2020 and NEET-Undergraduate examinations amid a spurt in the number of COVID-19 cases.

At that time, the SC said: "Although there is a pandemic situation, ultimately life has to go on and the career of the students cannot be put on peril for long and full academic year cannot be wasted".

Also read: JEE, NEET Exams to go ahead, Supreme Court rejects states' plea to review order

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