Supreme Court gives nod to common medical entrance test NEET

Examination to be conducted on May 1 and July 24, followed by results on August 17; several entities had objected to the test earlier

The Supreme Court on Thursday approved conducting National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) for students seeking to enter BDS and MBBS courses in the 2016-17 session. 

A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Anil R. Dave, gave its approval to the two-phase holding of the examination by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), as it declined the submission by certain states and associations of private medical colleges not to thrust NEET on them.

It approved the CBSE schedule to conduct the exam on May 1, 2016. In fact, the court agreed to consider the All India PMT exam, scheduled on May 1, as phase-1 of NEET. 

This would be followed by second phase on July 24, 2016. The results will be declared on August 17, followed by counselling and admissions sessions. 
 

The decision to hold the entrance exam through NEET was opposed by states including Tamil Nadu and Association of Karnataka Medical Colleges besides minority institutions like CMC Vellore saying it is illegal and unconstitutional.

Tamil Nadu strongly objected to NEET and said there is no culture of entrance exams in the state since 2007.

On April 11, the apex court had recalled its controversial judgement scrapping single common entrance test for admission to MBBS, BDS and PG courses in all medical colleges, delivered by then Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir on the day of his retirement.

In its petition, the NGO said that the Centre, MCI and CBSE were dilly-dallying in implementing the court's order on implementing the National Eligibility Entrance Test.

It further said that in view of April 11 judgement decks were cleared for holding of Common Entrance Examination and there is no impediment in having the test for admission to Medical Colleges for current academic year 2016-17.

The petitioner claimed that according to a research conducted by the NGO it was found that as many as 90 entrance examinations are being held by private and government authorities separately which resulted in shelling out lakhs of rupees in taking the examination.

"It has also been widely noticed that the examinations are not conducted in a free and fair manner and admissions are granted to chosen few," the plea said.