JEE Main, NEET 2020: IIT Delhi Launches Portal to Provide Transportation Facility To Students
During COVID-19 crisis, one of the major concerns amongst the students is regarding the difficulty in reaching exam centres. An appeal was made by IIT Delhi's Director, Prof V Ramgopal Rao to IIT alumni, current students and the public to help the candidates of JEE Main, JEE Advance 2020 and NEET 2020 with transportation facility amid the pandemic.
In response to which, IIT Delhi students and alumni promptly came forward and launched a dedicated portal to connect with Samaritans who may want to help the needy candidates.
The call-for-help germinated independent actions from IIT Delhi Alumni Association (IITDAA), IIT Bombay and IIT Madras alumni and finally converged into a user-friendly portal via www.eduride.in. This portal aims to ease the burden of commuting for the needy candidates especially from remote locations and poorly connected areas.
Coordinated and led by Mr Rohit Koshy (Past President, IITDAA) and Mr Sanskar Jain (IIT Bombay Alumnus), different components of the overall solution were integrated through untiring efforts of Kalpen Shukla, Shantanu Mathur, Mukul Singla, Amit Grover, Sanjay Kedia, Parmesh Ranjan, Saksham (IITD alumni) and a team of IIT Madras alumni (led by Swadeep Pillarisetti).
How can a candidate request for a ride?
Candidates can visit https://www.eduride.in/ till August 31 and register themselves as a “Student”, enter the details of the exam centre and raise a request for a ride.
How can people volunteer to help JEE, NEET candidates?
Visit https://www.eduride.in/ and register as "IIT Alumni/ Volunteer". The options will be:
(a) Drive the student from your area to his/her exam centre.
(b) Make a donation to facilitate a cab service for the exam-takers.
How does this work?
Case (a): After registrations of alumni, volunteers and candidates, the portal will connect appropriate combinations of volunteers and candidates via exchange of contact details. The two can then coordinate together to plan the travel to the exam centre.
Case (b): The donated money will help the organisers to fund for a cab service for the exam-takers on the day of the exam.
Welcoming the initiative launched by IIT students and alumni, Prof V. Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi said, “Some candidates had written to me and also commented on the social media channels that they cannot afford private transport and asked for help in reaching the examination centres. Therefore, we immediately made an appeal to the alumni and others for help. While I appreciate the outcome of this appeal (launch of portal www.eduride.in), I also celebrate it as a glaring example of the innate spirit that we all carry to help the needy in our society.”
“If we all work together and support each other in these times of need, there is no obstacle that we cannot surmount. I am confident this portal will not only ease the commuting difficulties for the candidates but will also boost their confidence by making them realize that we are all with them. I am happy to see an overwhelming response from alumni and students in taking this forward,” he added.