Thiruvananthapuram, March 26 Congress leaders, led by Member of Parliament K.C. Venugopal, on Thursday urged the Centre to reschedule the Joint Entrance Examination Main, citing its overlap with the Easter Holy Week, a period of deep religious significance for the Christian community.
In a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Venugopal pointed out that the examination is scheduled for April 2 to 8, coinciding with Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.
He noted that examining during this period would impose undue mental stress on Christian students, who observe important religious rituals and ceremonies during these days. He called for the exam dates to be reconsidered to ensure fairness and inclusivity.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan also raised similar concerns, highlighting that Maundy Thursday and Easter are among the holiest days for Christians.
He criticised the National Testing Agency's decision to schedule entrance examinations on these dates and urged that the tests be postponed.
Satheesan warned that holding exams and official programmes on such sacred days could infringe upon the religious freedom and rights of minorities, and called for an urgent review of the decision.
Echoing these demands, Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala said the current schedule would prevent Christian students from participating in key religious observances.
He noted that the overlap could cause considerable stress and hardship, and urged the Centre to reschedule the examination to avoid forcing students to choose between their faith and academic responsibilities.
Together, the leaders called on the Central government to adopt a more sensitive approach and revise the examination schedule in view of the concerns raised by the Christian community.
In Kerala, Christians account for around 17 per cent of the 3.30 crore population.
--IANS
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