Tag: #edunews

NEET, JEE MAINS 2020 exams, parents file petition in SC to ensure no further delay

Vaishali Singh

A group of students and parents have filed a counter plea in the Supreme Court asking it to direct the National Testing Agency to conduct NEET and JEE Main 2020 exams in September as scheduled. This comes on the heels of the plea filed by 11 students asking for the postponement of the exam in the wake of rising COVID cases in the country.

The plea points out that several tests have already been conducted by NTA and other bodies across the country countering the contentions on pandemic created difficulties. It also points out that NTA had given the opportunity to all students to change their exam centres or cities to the ones most convenient to them in view of the COVID situation.

“These exams are so important that they determine students’ career and also the entire life. As such, the Respondent Authorities must take into consideration as a relevant factor the fact that any further deferment of the examination will further add to the stress levels of the students resulting in further traumatising the students with the uncertainty of their future and thereby severely impacting their academic performance in the ultimate examination to be held in future”, reads the plea as reported by Bar and Bench.

The plea further says, “There is an eminent need for the NTA to adhere to the 2nd revised schedule and conduct the all India basis NEET UG-2020 and the JEE (Main) for UG-2020 as it is a settled position that the admission process is time bound and the entire admission schedule is a time regulated process mandated by the judgments of the Hon’ble Apex Court.”

Another fact pointed out by the petition is that students have rigorously been preparing for the NEET 2020 and JEE exams for the past 3 years from the time they were in Class 10. Non-conduct would mean the loss of an academic year and the adverse impact of the same on students appearing for the exam this year.

The petition also brings to notice the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) ‘Revised Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in view of COVID-19 Pandemic’ dated July 6, whereby all universities are mandated to complete the final year examinations by the end of September 2020.

Russia is about to register world’s first coronavirus vaccine on August 12

Vaishali Singh

Russia is set to register world’s first coronavirus vaccine on August 12. The inoculation has been developed jointly by the Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defence Ministry.

However, the clinical trial data and other documents of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine are currently under expert review. The decision on registration will be made based on its results, according to the Russian health ministry.

“The documents that are needed to register the vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of the Health Ministry, including clinical trial data, are under expert review. The decision on registration will be made based on the results of the review,” the ministry said.

Russia’s Deputy Health Minister Oleg Gridnev told state news agency, Sputnik news that the Phase-3 clinical trial of the COVID-19 vaccine was underway. He also said that senior citizens and medical professionals will be the first to get vaccinated.

The clinical trial of the Russian coronavirus vaccine is undergoing at two institutions: the Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital and the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University. The clinical trials of the vaccine began on June 18 and included 38 volunteers. All of the participants developed immunity. The first group was discharged on July 15, and the secondon July 20.

How Russia’s coronavirus vaccine will work?

Alexander Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya National Research Centre, said the vaccine used inanimate particles created on the basis of adenovirus. He added that the vaccine would cause no harm to a person’s health.