DMK asks Odisha, Andhra, Telangana, Kerala CMs to join forces against NEET, JEE

DMK president M K Stalin on Thursday urged the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Odisha to join seven other states and approach the Supreme Court to seek deferment of this year's National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test and the Joint Entrance Examination.

Stalin, who has already urged the Centre to defer both the entrance tests in view of the coronavirus pandemic, in a letter to them, said conditions were not conducive to conduct the national exams.

"Not just pandemic, the country has witnessed floods and landslides, which has cut off most of rural and hilly areas from the mainland.In most States, Public transport system has not yet resumed.

Railways and air travel cannot be accessed by the majority of candidates and a lot of uncertainty persists in reaching the allotted exam centres," he said.

Stalin has written to Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, K Chandrashekar Rao, Pinarayi Vijayan and Naveen Patnaik, a DMK release said.

Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Puducherry are planning to move the Supreme Court against the Centre challenging its decision to conduct NEET and JEE, Stalin told them, in an apparent reference to a decision taken at a virtual meet held by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday.

The DMK leader, who has welcomed the decision of the seven chief ministers, said: "In the light of the severe difficulties, keeping the well-being and future of students in mind, I sincerely request you to join in solidarity with (seven other) states and approach the Supreme court on postponement of NEET and JEE exams for the greater good.."

The united stand can help the voices of the students and parents across the country, he added.