The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking to defer the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test and the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) amid the coronavirus crisis, reported Bar and Bench. The court said the two examinations would be held in September as per the schedule.

Justice Arun Mishra said postponing the examinations would put the career of the students in peril, according to Live Law. “Life should move on even in Covid-19 times,” he added. “Can we just stop exams? We should move on.” He pointed out that the students will lose an academic year if the examinations are not held. “Are you not demanding that courts should re-open?” he asked. “Why can’t exams be held with precautions?”

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the National Testing Agency, argued that exams should be conducted, and adequate precautions will be taken.

The plea was filed by a group of 11 students on August 6. The petitioner had said that the government’s decisions to conduct the exams was “utterly arbitrary, whimsical and violative of the students’ fundamental right to life”. They had also highlighted the health risks involved.

The JEE Main exam which was initially scheduled to be conducted in April but was postponed till July. Now it is scheduled to be conducted from September 1 to September 6. NEET was scheduled for May but was also postponed till July and now will be conducted on September 13.