A large-scale candle march spearheaded by student activist Pawan Bhadana was conducted yesterday (22nd August 2022). The key agenda of the protest was to reconduct the JEE & NEET exam considering the numerous irregularities which were observed during the first iteration of the exams. Students from more than 50 cities took part in the candle march and many even ended up visiting the NTA office late into the night.
Students faced several difficulties during the first iterations of the JEE and NEET. From reports of cheating / rigging to exam day logistics issues, the students are demanding that the NTA take ownership of its failures and give students a fair chance. Activist Pawan Bhadana will also be appearing on several news channels today / tomorrow to highlight some of the key highlights / concerns related to the movement.
Students are also opposing the NTA and UGCs planned move to merge the JEE & NEET exam into the CUET. Many feel that the idea may be rushed and will not do justice to the inherent differences between the exams.
The NEET & JEE are national level entrance exams for admissions into medical and engineering courses respectively. Both the exams are conducted by the NTA (National Testing Agency) and had a combined applicant pool of 2.8 million students this year.