Preparing for examinations is stressful enough for students that midst the raging pandemic, they also have to plan their commute to the exam centres when public transportation is yet to resume in full swing in several parts of the country. However, in what may now come as a great relief, Institute of Technology (IIT) alumni and students have set up a portal that aims to connect students in need with those willing to help or offer a ride.
EduRide, an online platform launched on August 29, to help candidates who cannot afford travel to their exam centre. As of September 4, the portal has received over 3,700 requests from JEE and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exam aspirants across the country, who want to reach their exam centres.
So far, they have been able to successfully transport about 400 IIT Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main and Advance 2020 exam aspirants to their respective exam centres. While JEE exams began on September 1 and concluded on September 6. NEET exams will begin from September 13.
To help #JEE & #NEET candidates with transport amid #COVID-19, IIT students & alumni have launched a portal, https://t.co/LmrZSKcCsS, to connect needy candidates with Samaritans who may want to help them commute, especially from remote locations and poorly connected areas. pic.twitter.com/P5k5Z0KeSx
— Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) September 2, 2020
The initiative came together upon IIT-Delhi Director V Ramgopal Rao’s request. According to reports, Ramgopal Rao had received requests from several students on social media following which he appealed to the alumni. The portal is run by IIT Delhi Alumni Association, IIT Madras students and alumni and IIT Bombay students and alumni.
Sanskar Jain, an IIT Bombay alumnus, developed the portal along with his team, which includes IIT Bombay students Himank Jain and Prabhat Singh, among others.
Speaking to TNM, Sanskar said that the portal was developed in breakneck speed of about two days. “We have served approximately 400 requests until Friday - from Punjab to Karnataka, Rajasthan to Bihar. These include students from rural areas who require transport to reach their exam centres as they are usually located in district headquarters,” said Sanskar. A cursory glance at the map shows that requests have come from Jammu and Kashmir to Kerala and Gujarat to Nagaland.
“We get requests with specific data points and connect them with the driver who is available to help the student. When there is no driver match, we contact the student, get to know their exact requirement and transfer request to a cab company. We also arrange to bring them back to their home,” explained Sanskar.
A student located in any part of the country, who will have to travel several hundred kilometres to reach the exam centre, will have to fill the student form on the EduRide website.
Next, the candidate will be asked to choose the exam for which they will be appearing (JEE/NEET), their basic details like name, email address and parent’s mobile number. They will also have to enter the exam centre’s details and admit card details.
There is a form for volunteer or a donor. On clicking the form, it takes one to IIT Delhi’s crowdfunding link, with details to make donations. So far, the portal has been able to receive donations over Rs 9 lakh from both IIT alumni and others.