SC approves common test for medical courses

The Supreme Court today directed the central government to hold a single eligibility-cum-entrance examination for MBBS and post-graduate medical courses in the country from this academic session.

A bench of justices R V Raveendran and A K Patnaik passed the order, saying it will also be applicable for private medical colleges in the country. The directive follows a plea by the Medical Council of India (MCI), which sought a single eligibility-cum-entrance examination for MBBS and post-graduate medical courses in October, 2010.

On February 18, the Centre told the Supreme Court it was in talks with state governments to resolve differences on the issue. The Centre came out with the notification to hold a combined entrance test for MBBS and PG courses in December 2010. Though the court, in an interim order on December 18 last year, allowed the MCI to go ahead with the common entrance test, it had decided to hear the concerns of various stakeholders like state governments, private medical colleges and those run by minorities. “We make it clear that the pendency of the application shall not come in the way of the MCI notifying any regulations framed by it, in accordance with law, nor come in the way of anyone challenging the validity of such regulations, if and when brought into effect in accordance with law,” the bench said.

During the last hearing, the bench had said there were certain minority institutions like Christian Medical College which conduct their own entrance tests. The bench also favoured a cautious approach on the issue, saying students are a “volatile” community.