Ready to include Urdu in NEET from 2018-19 session: Centre tells SC

At present, the test for admission into medical courses is being conducted in ten languages

The Supreme Court today considered the submission of the Centre that it was willing to include Urdu as a language in the NEET, the common entrance test for admission into medical courses, from academic session 2018-19 onwards.

A bench, headed by Justices Dipak Misra, noted the submission made by Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the Centre, that it was not opposed to conducting the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in Urdu medium also from 2018.

"The exam for this academic session is already over. We can't put the clock back...The appeal is disposed of," the bench, also comprising Justice A M Khanwilkar, said.

The solicitor general had on March 31 told the apex court that a students' body seeking conduct of the NEET in the Urdu language had accused the Centre of being "communal".

The submission was made while referring to an affidavit filed by the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) through its national secretary Thouseef Ahamad.

The Centre had told the court it was not feasible to introduce Urdu as one of the mediums for the NEET from the current academic year.

At present, the test is being conducted in ten languages — Hindi, English, Gujarati, Marathi, Oriya, Bengali, Assamese, Telegu, Tamil and Kannada languages.

The court had earlier sought the response of the Centre, the Medical Council of India, the Dental Council Of India, and the Central Board of Secondary Education on the plea for making Urdu as a medium for the NEET 2017.