Students relieved after SC verdict

It was a sigh of relief for thousands of students as the Supreme Court Monday cleared the decks for admissions to under-graduate and post-graduate medical and dental courses for 2013 in state government and private colleges.

The ruling allows medical institutions to start their admission process without any further delay, bringing relief to thousands of students who were left in a limbo over their results.

It, however, reserved its verdict on the validity of common entrance exam, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) till July.

A postgraduate aspirant Gautham G. said with a sigh of relief: "Any delayed judgment would have further agonized students like me who have been waiting for close to six months now." There were some who felt that the idea of NEET needs to re-thought.

"This is certainly a relief, but its temporary. If I don't get the medical college I want, I don't know if it will be a safe option to wait and give the entrance exam again next year, because the pattern of exam may totally change," said Rajat Sharma, a medical aspirant who cleared his 12th board exam this year.

Meanwhile, Nikhil Ojha, a medical aspirant from Bihar said: "There are very limited medical seats, perhaps government should focus on increasing the number of seats rather than being so bothered about this single entrance exam."

However, there are some who are dismayed with the judgment.

"It is a big disappointment for students like me. We have been waiting for the apex court decision for the past six months. We were hopeful that the apex court would come in NEET's favour," Chandra Bhan, a medical student from east Delhi told IANS.

Another student Sai Shiva who pursued his MBBS from Madras Medical College believes that there is an immediate need for some clarity on the NEET.

"A single and common entrance exam provides equal opportunity for students notwithstanding their economic background," Shiva said.

The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, while permitting the Medical Council of India (MCI) to declare the results of the NEET, will, however, pronounce its verdict on the validity of the test on July 4.

It is to be noted that the supreme court on Dec 13, 2012 restrained the state governments, private institutions and the MCI from declaring the results of the entrance tests conducted by them.