New Delhi: A massive hue and cry was witnessed after around 17 BHMS and BAMS medical practitioners moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to defer the All India Ayush Post Graduate Entrance Examination (AIAPGET) 2020 which is scheduled to be conducted on August 29, 2020.
This came following notification that was released by National Testing Agency which stated that the entrance exam is scheduled for August 29th.
The medicos claimed that the notification is in clear violation of the Home Ministries Lock three guidelines which clearly stated that all the educational institutes should stay closed till August 31st, 2020.
Also Read:NTA releases Exam date for AYUSH PG Entrance, AIAPGET 2020
As per recent media accounts, the petitioners stated that considering the fact that the medicos are working as COVID warriors, many of them have been isolated or quarantined the end as well and in this scenario, it will be for the best interest of the medicos to defer the examination; adding that at a time like this when the number of COVID cases is increasing day by day and the frontline health workers are extending their services without rest to contain the pandemic, the sudden announcement of entrance examination is not justified.
"Due to the fact of already being infected by COVID-19 or due to being in quarantine presently, many Doctors (including many Petitioners herein) will be deprived of appearing in the aforesaid AIAPGET- 2020 on 29.08.2020, which will be in flagrant violation of their fundamental right to equality, as enshrined within Article 14 of Constitution of India," the doctors' submission read, quotes Times now news
The Advocate representing the petitioners, Alakh Alok Srivastava argued that previously the exams have been postponed which was supposed to take place on 15 July due to the rapid increase in the number of coronavirus cases and the total number of cases by the time was approximately nine lakhs, hence, the authority's decision of conducting it now is clearly discriminating against the doctors as by August the situation will be much worse considering that India has already crossed more than 20 lakhs of COVID cases.
Calling the decision arbitrary, whimsical, and violative of the rights of life and health, the petitioners also stated that the notification of the exam has been released recently and they have less than two months to prepare. They also mentioned about the scarcity of examination centers due to pandemic.
Further, the petitioners substantiated their demands by putting before the court the situation due to the floods in several states which will make it impossible for many of the medicos to appear for the entrance examination.
Furthermore, the petitioners stated that Prime Minister Modi has already announced that India is working towards developing the COVID-19 vaccine hence they are requesting the authority to wait till a permanent solution for COVID arrives and the transmission of the decease is contained, reports Deccan Herald.
Besides, several tests like Karnataka PGCET, CSIR UGC NET, Maharashtra MHTCET, ICAI, ICSI, AIBE, AILET, UPSC Preliminary Examinations have been postponed solely due to alarming Covid-19 crisis, the medicos highlighted.
It has been further argued that all the frontline doctors would be deprived of a genuine opportunity to appear for the exams this time. They have been involved in providing medical aid during pandemic which has left them with less or no time to study and prepare. Also, many of the aspirants have been under quarantine or have been infected with the virus, as per the petition. Thus it would be in the best interest of the students if the exams are postponed, says the petition.
The court has been adjourned till the next hearing.