Lok Sabha passes two bills to replace NEET ordinances

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed by a voice vote after discussion, The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill and The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, which seek to amend the Indian Medical Council Act,1956 and the Dentists Act, 1948 to replace the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) ordinances.

The ordinances were promulgated in May to keep state boards out of the ambit of NEET for admission in MBBS and BDS courses for 2016.

"The bill will give statutory status to the NEET. This will make the examination system fair and transparent and students won't face multiplicity of exams. It will also stop exploitation of students in the name of capitation fees," Health Minister J.P. Nadda said while replying to the debate.

He said that only state boards have been exempted from the ambit of NEET this year and all private medical colleges will come under the new system.

"The CBSE will conduct the examination for undergraduate medical courses while for postgraduate courses it will be done by National Board of Examination," he said adding that 16 states have opted for State Boards examinations and 15 states have opted for NEET this year.

The Health Minister also said that he has written to the states to provide details about the students who have appeared in the medical entrance tests in their own languages during last three years so that further action could be taken.

The Bills provide for conduct of uniform entrance examination for admission to all medical educational institutions at the undergraduate and post-graduate courses.

The examination will be conducted in Hindi, English and some other languages.

The AIADMK members staged a walkout, saying they are not satisfied with the reply of minister and there concerns were not addressed.

Initiating the debate after Nadda presented the Bill, RSP leader N. K. Premachandran said that like the uniform medical examination, the fee structure should also be uniform.

Congress leader K. C. Venugopal said that the bills will help do away the corrupt practices in the entrance examination.

"The uniform examination should also be allowed in regional languages," he said.

--IANS

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