SC Orders Two-Phase Common Test For MBBS, BDS and PG Through NEET
The SC ordered NEET to be held in two phases– 1 May and 24 July, while the combined result will be out by 17 August.
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The Supreme Court on Thursday paved the way for the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) 2016 for admissions into medical colleges. The SC directed the test for a single common test to be held for MBBS, BDS and PG courses to be held through NEET in two phases– 1 May and 24 July. The combined result will be out by 17 August.
MCI and CBSE will be conducting the entrance test in the first phase on 1 May.
Earlier on Thursday, the Supreme Court reserved its order on a plea seeking directions from the Centre about holding single common entrance test NEET.
The Centre and Medical Council of India (MCI) came out with a schedule that the All India Pre-Medical Entrance Test (AIPMT) in May would be treated as NEET-1 and the second phase would be treated, which will be held on 24 July, as NEET- 2 and the combined result would be declared on 17 August.
However, the decision to hold the entrance exam through NEET was opposed by states including Tamil Nadu and Association of Karnataka Medical Colleges besides minority institutions like CMC Vellore saying that it was illegal and unconstitutional.
A bench of Justices AR Dave, Shiva Kirti Singh and A K Goel observed that it was running “against time” and reserved the order.
The petition filed by NGO Sankalp Charitable Trust was listed for hearing on Thursday.
On 11 April, the apex court had recalled its controversial judgement scrapping the single common entrance test for admission to MBBS, BDS and PG courses in all medical colleges, delivered by then Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir on the day of his retirement.
In its petition, the NGO said that the Centre, MCI and CBSE were dilly-dallying in implementing the court’s order on National Eligibility Entrance Test.
The petitioner claimed that according to a research conducted by the NGO it was found that as many as 90 entrance examinations are being held by private and government authorities separately which resulted in shelling out lakhs of rupees in taking the examination.
“It has also been widely noticed that the examinations are not conducted in a free and fair manner and admissions are granted to chosen few,” the plea said.
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