Bollywood actor Sonu Sood joined the chorus demanding postponing the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) examinations.
In a tweet, the actor urged the government to postpone the exams taking into consideration the ongoing pandemic in the country.
"It's my request to government of India, to postpone the #Neet/#JEE exams in the current situation of the country! In the given #COVID19 situation, we should care utmost & not risk the lives of students!," he wrote.
While NEET is scheduled on September 13, JEE(Main) will be held from September 1 to 6.
In another tweet in Hindi, the actor pointed out that many who appear fro these exams come from remote areas and added that while the examinations are necessary, it is equally important to ensure the safety of students. “The children who appear for the examination come from remote areas. If there is flood in some village in Bihar, then there is complete arrest in any district. Yes, examination is necessary but the protection of those young shoulders is equally important. If everything stops in front of nature in the whole world, then the examination should be postponed for some time,” he tweeted.
Later, talking to NDTV, the actor said we cannot force students to take the exams. "I feel they have the right to get at least two-three months to recover to prepare better for these exams," he was quoted as saying.
Several students and political leaders across the country, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and DMK president M K Stalin, have urged the central government to postpone the examination until the spread of the COVID-19 was brought under control.
(With PTI inputs)
