Punjab CM directs AG to file review petition in SC on NEET/JEE exams

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 26

With just days to go for the NEET/JEE exams being conducted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday directed state Advocate General Atul Nanda to coordinate with his counterparts in other opposition ruled states for filing a collective review petition in the Supreme Court seeking deferment of the examinations.

The directive followed a video conference of the meeting convened by Congress president Sonia Gandhi with the chief ministers of seven opposition-ruled states to discuss this and other issues of common concern, including delay in GST compensation release and the farm ordinances by the Government of India, as well as the New Education Policy, which Capt Amarinder said was thrust on the states without consultation.

“Let us all get together to move the Supreme Court for postponement of the exams, which are threatening the lives of lakhs of students,” he said.

Pointing out that world over, exams were being held online, he suggested that the JEE/NEET and other professional exams like medical and law could also be held online and there was no need to put the students at risk.

Noting that what the states were seeking was not the moon but their own dues, the chief minister also suggested that a delegation of all the opposition chief ministers should meet the prime minister to press for release of GST compensation and financial assistance to fight Covid.

“We have given all the powers of taxation to him through the GST, and now they say they may not be able to pay. So how do we run our states?” he said, calling upon the opposition-ruled states to work together and fight together for their rights.

The chief minister also disclosed that his government would be setting up a committee soon to assess the impact of the New Education Policy on the state’s education system and finances.

Every state has its own system, which the Government of India failed to take into account before announcing the policy, he said.

Pointing out that as of today, two days before the scheduled Punjab Vidhan Sabha session, 23 ministers/MLAs were Covid positive, Capt Amarinder said if this was the state of the legislators and ministers, one can only image how grave the situation on the ground was. The scenario was not conducive to holding physical examinations, he said.

The Punjab chief minister told the meeting that even on the issue of the mandatory final term exams for colleges/universities, despite repeated pleas and reminders, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had failed to take cognisance of his government’s concerns.

Citing the importance laid by his government on education, he said that while in schools his government had already decided to promote the students based on their earlier performance, the final term college exams issue remained a matter of concern.

“How can we have exams with Covid projected to peak in the state in September?” he asked, adding that “I also want students to take exams and pass too, but how can I do this in the midst of the crisis?”

Capt Amarinder also raised the issue of the Centre’s decision to suspend the post-matric scholarship scheme for SC students, whose number in the state is a whopping 3.17 lakh.

The Centre had no business cutting down on these scholarships for the poor SC students, he said, adding that he wanted all students in his state, including the poor, to be educated.

Given the acute fiscal crisis in the state, with no money even to pay salaries and fulfil other existing commitments, how do they expect us to pay for these scholarships too, he asked.

Elaborating on the financial crisis faced by the state, the chief minister said the Centre’s failure to release GST compensation after March 31, 2020, which is to the tune of nearly Rs 7,000 crore, had put Punjab in a difficult situation amid the spiralling Covid cases, which had crossed 44,000, with 1,178 deaths.

“If the Government of India does not give us our GST compensation how do they expect us to function,” said Capt Amarinder, adding that states cannot manage on their own and the Centre needs to support.

Punjab had received Rs 102 crore in two instalments from Health Ministry for Covid and Rs 31 crore third instalment was due, he said.

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