Education Minister Dismisses NEET Postponement, Angry Aspirants trend #RemoveDharmendraPradhan
New Delhi: While the NEET UG 2022 aspirants have continuously been demanding the deferment of the exam, the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently dismissed the chances of postponement by saying that they face such demands every month.
"Students are always anxious. All our senior principals are here, educationists are here; they face this problem every month," said the Minister while attending the India Today Education Conclave.
Meanwhile, the aspirants are furious at the Minister for comparing NEET with every other school test and they have started trending the hashtag #RemoveDharmendraPradhan on Twitter.
Medical Dialogues had been reporting about the escalating demands from the NEET UG 2022 aspirants seeking deferment of the exam by one month. Earlier around 10,000 aspirants had written to National Testing Agency (NTA) requesting to postpone the exam and allocate them with enough time for preparation. Writing to the agency, the aspirants had pointed out how the counselling for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test 2021 was incomplete and the scheduled date for NEET on July 17 is almost clashing with the dates for CUET & JEE Mains.
Their demands for rescheduling the exam received support from the India Wide Parents Association and the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), who wrote to the Prime Minister and the Union Education Minister respectively urging them to defer the exam by at least 40-45 days.
"There are lakhs of students who prepare for medical examination every year and this number is increasing every year. With millions of hope sticking, the process should not start or end in a hurry, " NSUI mentioned in the letter.
However, the Union Education Ministry recently confirmed that the NEET UG 2022 exam will not be rescheduled. Meanwhile, while attending the India Today Education Conclave, the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed similar views.
When the Minister was questioned about the NEET UG Postponement demands, he told India Today, "Students are always anxious. All our senior principals are here, educationists are here; they face this problem every month."
"They are facing it every month, I am facing it annually," added the Union Education Minister.
When asked if the exam shall be postponed, the Union Education Minister kind of dismissed the possibilities by saying, "I think, majority of students have already prepared to face the exam."
However, the aspirants have not taken such comments from the Education Minister in a positive way. Slamming the Minister for comparing NEET with every other school tests, the aspirants have started trending the hashtag #RemoveDharmendraPradhan on Twitter.
They have questioned if NEET is like every other school exams, then why can't it be held every single month without any fees.
While the authorities have not given any positive response regarding the demands for postponement, the aspirants are now considering the options including holding candle light march, and approaching the court.
Taking a step further, several aspirants have started collecting data regarding Protest and Candle March Yodhao Nomination. This google form is collecting information from aspirants regarding where the aspirants are planning to join the protest, which kind of role they will play in the protest, if they can lead a candle march in their own city, etc.
Some of the Twitter users have urged the NSUI President to come forward and arrange a major protest to make the voices of the aspirants heard to the authorities.
The aspirants have blamed the government and especially the reaction of the Education Minister for leading them to the path of protest.
Slamming the education for laughing at their problems, the several aspirants have announced about their decision of initiating a protest demanding deferment of the exam.
Meanwhile, even though the aspirants are keen on deferring the exam, the NTA (National Testing Agency) has released advance Intimation for Allotment of Examination City to the Applicants of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG) NEET 2022.
National Testing Agency is conducting the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG) at different Centres located in 546 cities throughout the country and 14 Cities in Outside India on 17 July 2022 (Sunday) from 02:00 P.M. to 05:20 P.M.
Also Read: NTA notifies on Allotment of Examination City to NEET 2022 Applicants
