Centre begins consultations with states on NEET

The Supreme Court's order to have a single entrance test NEET for admissions to medical and dental colleges was today welcomed by almost all states though some of them flagged concerns over holding it in the current year itself as Centre kicked off the consultation process on the issue.
Amid reports that Centre may bring an ordinance to bypass the apex court's ruling making NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) mandatory, Union Health Minister J P Nadda held deliberations with state health ministers on the common gateway during which some states sought more time to implement it.
Nadda said the future course of action will be thought of "soon" as the Centre was committed to bringing in transparency in medical education system and remove alleged malpractices. Health Ministers and representatives of 18 states and Union Territories attended the meeting.

The Union Health Minister said although most states are in favour of NEET "in principle", some have talked about logistical issues that are "impeding" its implementation.
"Most States are in favour of NEET in principle. However, some states have expressed that there are some logistics issues that are impeding its implementation, and therefore they have desired for some more time.
"We will need more discussions with the state governments on the NEET issue. Today, we had discussions on language, syllabus and state governments' concerns over state medical entrance examinations. We have to solve all the problems of the states before NEET is conducted across the country," Nadda said.

He said his Ministry will apprise the Supreme Court of the state governments' apprehensions on NEET only after arriving at a conclusion.

At the meeting, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain came out in full support of the Supreme Court order and requested the Centre to implement it at the earliest to bring in reform.
The Supreme Court had ruled that starting this academic session, students would have to appear in NEET to seek admission to medical or dental colleges in the country.
The apex court order had implied that all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under NEET and those examinations which had already taken place or were slated to be conducted separately stand scrapped.