The National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET), which is the common entrance test for admission to medical colleges, will be deferred by a year amid protests by states.
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The Supreme Court on May 9 had ordered the implementation of the common entrance test for under-graduate medical courses in India from this academic year. The 1st phase of NEET has already been implemented and the second phase examinations will be taking place on July 24.
The ordinance will enable state governments as well as individual institutions like AIIMS to conduct their own admission test this year. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that he had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to bring an ordinance as it would send the message that “the Government is with those who have black or untaxed money”. Almost 6.5 lakh students wrote the exam in the first phase held on May 1.
The minister also revealed the state board syllabus and pattern will be tweaked with help of experts to help students appearing for NEET.
The move comes following strong objections from some states over the efficacy of the common entrance test for under-graduate medical courses in the nation.
The government is awaiting the President’s approval for the ordinance. The main idea was to curb corruption in exams held at the state-level.
While the Congress in Delhi charged the Centre with having buckled under pressure from the medical colleges lobby, the Karnataka Congress leaders maintained that the ordinance would help poor students aspiring to study medicine. “But at least the burden has been reduced to a great extent now as even for government colleges, the CET stands for this academic year”.
Student reaction to the ordinance buzz varied depending on whether they supported or opposed the mandatory NEET.
The states flagged various issues in the health ministers conference yesterday including problems related to language and syllabus.
Many states and members of parliament, across spectrum of political parties, had raised concern over the apex court ruling.
The Centre’s attempt to reverse this court order has come after hundreds of medical aspirants raised objections to the sudden, nearly last-minute introduction of a new system.
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It means the NEET 2016 will be applicable only to those who are applying for admission to Central government and private management institutions under the management quota.
