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In a first, Ayush colleges in U.P. to get NEET data for double verification of candidates
The date for admission counselling to Homeopathy, Ayurved, and Unani colleges is likely to be announced in a week. The process would be conducted by NIC.
LUCKNOW: To prevent irregularities in Ayush college admissions, the counselling process will be made much more rigid this academic session. In Uttar Pradesh, counselling for Ayush colleges will have a multi-layer scrutiny. In a first, the college managements will be empowered to verify documents (related to NEET-2022 exam) of the candidates.
The added layers of scrutiny comes after the Ayush admission scam came to the fore earlier this year. The date for admission counselling to Homeopathy, Ayurved, and Unani colleges is likely to be announced in a week. The process would be conducted by NIC.
In 2021, the counselling was done by an outsourced agency. Later, it was revealed that 891 ineligible candidates got a seat in various Ayush colleges. Subsequently, two probes were set up. Both are still ongoing. While the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force is carrying out one of the investigations, the other is being done by a high-powered committee.
“This year, once the seat is allotted after document verification, the colleges will also be given access to NEET result data. This is to allow colleges to check and verify again that the candidate taking admission is the one who has actually been allotted seat during counselling and is the same in the list of candidates who qualified NEET-2022,” said a senior official in Ayush department. “Now colleges will have added responsibility and this will add a layer of security to check fraud,” the official added.
Speaking on the issue, Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary general association of international doctors, said, “If colleges are allowed to access NEET result data, they can ensure the candidates taking admission are the same who have cleared NEET. The double verification will deter candidates from taking any false route to admission.”
Till now, colleges took admission of candidates who reached with allotment letter issued after counselling. They did not have access to NEET data. Hence, the colleges could only verify the high school certificate of the candidate from the respective board. Admission is given to candidates who qualify via national eligibility cum entrance test (NEET) -- the gateway to MBBS, BDS, and other medical courses.
