Gulf aspirants concerned about COVID threat of flying down for NEET exams

Travelling to India to create medical entrance examination NEET isn't just stressful but also impractical, several prospects in Gulf countries have said, citing the chance of contracting COVID-19 and the need to undergo a mandatory quarantine, among other issues.

Some of them are determined the miss the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) altogether this season.

"What choice do I've? It is impractical," said Royston Mendonca, who's based in Dubai.

Several Indian students like him said the Supreme Court's refusal to permit test centres for the NEET in Gulf countries has left them the lurch. Several students have their JEE Main test in the Gulf and the NEET in India.

While exam centres have already been create abroad for JEE Main, there is absolutely no such arrange for NEET.

Reaching India with time to be able to complete the required quarantine period prior to the exam, getting a stay before taking a flight back, additional expenses, the risk of contracting COVID-19 and being quarantined again back home, are among several concerns on your brain of the aspirants.

The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts medical and engineering access exams, has made a decision to hold NEET on September 13 and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains from September 1 to 6.

Mendonca told PTI over phone from Dubai, "Even easily take another possible Vande Bharat flight, I'll not be able to finish my quarantine period at that time. And you can appear for such an essential exam amid anywhere near this much stress."

Shailaja Vishwanathan, a Doha-based candidate, said, "I had contacted the Indian embassy here and I have been told that though I hadn't applied earlier, I'd be accommodated in the next Vande Bharat flight. But it is an excessive amount of a hassle before an exam that I have been finding your way through two years. I wish I could take the test in Doha, but I don't possess much choice. I'll go anyhow."

Jonathan Vergis, who resides in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), must write both these exams, the JEE-Main in Dubai on September 3 and the NEET in India 10 days later.

"If I leave after this exam (JEE Main), I'll not have the ability to finish the quarantine period before September 13, when the NEET test is scheduled," he said.

However NTA officials said the JEE test centre in such cases could be shifted to India and the students should get in touch with the agency.

NEET applicant Jasim, a resident of Saudi Arabia, said, "This is very impractical. I've not travelled alone before this. If my parents fly with me, we will have to bear extra cost which can be an added burden right now. The time taken up to complete the quarantine, appearing for test and then completing quarantine here once back, will require a whole lot of leaves from work for them too. We are still working out how to proceed."

Another candidate located in Oman, who didn't wish to be recognized told PTI, she's didn't appear for the examination this year.

"I think I'll take the test next year now. I understand a year is treasured but it is merely not feasible to travel to India for the exam now. I really was hoping that they either postpone the test or setup centres in Gulf countries too," she said.

On Monday, the Supreme Court of India declined to pass direction to the Central government to carry NEET in Gulf countries. The court directed the federal government to allow students to come through Vande Bharat Mission flights to create the exams.

The SC was hearing a plea filed by parents of practically 4,000 NEET candidates, who alternatively had sought to postpone the examination before coronavirus pandemic subsides.

The parents of the candidates, who have a home in Doha, Qatar, Oman and the UAE, had approached the apex court challenging the High Court of Kerala order which had dismissed their plea in June.

The NTA informed the Supreme Court that it had duly consulted the MCI (Medical Council of India) on the students' demand for overseas test centers.

However, the MCI had clarified that since the examination is conducted in pen and paper mode, it will not be feasible to truly have a different pattern for Gulf countries or establish a centre there amid the pandemic situation.

Among Indian states too, there's been a growing chorus for postponing the two exams in view of a spike in COVID-19 cases. However, the Ministry of Education has clarified the exams will be conducted on schedule in September as any more delay now can result in a zero academic year.

These exams have been completely deferred twice in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The JEE-Main was originally scheduled to be held from April 7-11, but was postponed to July 18-23, the NEET-UG was at first scheduled for May 3, but pushed to July 26. These were postponed again and are now scheduled in September.