The AIADMK today opposed in Rajya Sabha the government move to put in place a single examination for medical and dental courses through NEET while most other parties supported the step, with demands that private colleges should be monitored properly.
AIADMK leader Navneet Krishna, while speaking on The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016, termed it as "arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional" step and said it will impact rural and poor children who do not follow CBSE syllabus.
The bill, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, provides for a Constitutional status to the 'National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) which is intended to be introduced in the academic session next year.
The Bill seeks to amend the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and the Dentists Act, 1948 and replace the Ordinances that were promulgated by the government to circumvent the Supreme Court order for implementation of NEET examination this session itself.
"The rural and poor students of Tamil Nadu will be affected very badly by NEET. There is no need for this bill when the entire issue is under judicial review," Krishna said.
Narendra Budania of Congress, while reminding the House that the common entrance test was an idea of the previous UPA government, congratulated Health Minister J P Nadda for pursuing it.
However, he urged him to ensure that private colleges are monitored so that the "pure profession becomes purer".
T Subbarami Reddy of Congress, who moved a resolution of disapproval against both Bills, wondered why the government was in a hurry to come out with an ordinance in May when they could have waited for a month and half for the Monsoon session of Parliament to start.
Naresh Aggarwal of Samajwadi Party supported the bills and asked the Minister to be "bold" and take full control of the Medical Council of India rather than divide it into four parts.
He said if there was so much concern about quality of some private medical colleges, then an exit test must be made compulsory.
Doctors passing out from medical colleges should be made to serve in rural India for five years, he said.
Supporting the two Bills, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said this
is "a very good step" by the government which will enable simultaneous holding of (medical) exam across the country.
Yadav said that education and health system of the country have totally gone into private sector's hands while education, controlled by the government, is in "dire straits".
However, he said, the condition of government medical colleges was relatively better than their private counterparts.
Yadav rued that no member of Rajya Sabha spoke about donations in medical colleges and asked "why do we not express concern about this."
SP member Naresh Agarwal objected to Yadav's comment and said he had spoken on reservation in private medical colleges and added that his party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav was a strong proponent of reservation.
Yadav asked the Government to end the system of donation, alleging that those who have black money were opening medical and engineering colleges. "In India, the medical education system has been ruined and it is only because of this donation system," he said.
Yadav asked the Government whether reservation will be introduced in private colleges also.
K K Ragesh of CPI(M) said "while supporting the very concept of uniform entrance test, I take this opportunity to share anxiety expressed by some".
Pointing out that education was a concurrent subject, Ragesh sought to know whether the Government had consulted states while promulgating the Bill.
He observed that CBSE students would be on a better footing while state government Board students will have lesser chance of getting admission through the NEET entrance exam. He asked whether the Government can ensure admission of students from backward communities in private colleges.
Stating that private colleges are charging exorbitant fee, Ragesh advocated provision of cross subsidisation, differential fee structure, scholarships to help poor students.
He also sought to know whether deemed universities are covered under the purview of this Bill and alleged that students were being admitted in private colleges only on the basis of money and not on merit.
Dilip Tirkey (BJD) said the condition of medical education in the country was "worse" and added that the mechanism of seats reserved under state quota was not clear.
"As per the Bill, NEET will be conducted by CBSE. But there are thousands of schools belonging to Boards other than CBSE. Those students will be hurt," he said.
S C Mishra (BSP) supported the Bill and said if the exam
has to based on merit, it should be for both government and private colleges. He said the view that Medical Council of India (MCI) has not initiated the uniform exam was not correct.
Mishra said there was no case pending against MCI Chairman, to which Congress leader Jairam Ramesh objected saying the MCI should not be given a clean chit.
C M Ramesh (TDP) also voiced his party's support for the Bill and said Andhra Pradesh needed more medical colleges and doctors.
NCP's Praful Patel too supported the Bill. He also pointed out that there were "far too few" medical colleges in the country and said the criteria for setting up medical colleges was "too stringent".
"It should be our endeavour to increase the number of medical colleges," Patel said, adding that strengthening the MCI was important.
Patel said the quality of faculty in medical colleges has become a problem, particularly by colleges in small places.
Shiv Sena's Anil Desai expressed support for the Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016, but said there has to be uniformity in the syllabus for NEET.
Speaking on the Bill, Jairam Ramesh (Cong) said there was a comprehensive report of the Standing Committee of Parliament on reform of MCI and alleged that "vested interests" were sabotaging the report.
He alleged there was a "systematic attempt to scuttle the recommendations of the Standing Committee".
"The Bill being passed today is a very small part of the recommendations of the Standing Committee," he said and sought to know "what is the government's intent on the Standing Committee's report".
He also asked whether the Bill covered private colleges and will the one-year exemption given to states be extended.
Stating that the Standing Committee report gave a comprehensive blueprint of reform in medical education and elimination of capitation fee, Ramesh said he has little confidence that the Government will demonstrate the courage to stand up against the vested interests at play.
Making a short intervention at this stage, Health Minister JP Nadda said "I would like to assure Ramesh that this Government is not going to succumb to any vested interest".
Nadda said foolproof arrangements will be put in place under the proposed law and all parties consulted.
BJP's Vikas Mahatme claimed "corrupt practices will come to an end", after the proposed legislation is enacted. He, however, said the apprehensions expressed by members should be taken care of.
