Common medical exam may be back

The Centre on Friday made clear its intention to explore all legal and legislative options to reverse the controversial SC judgment scrapping the common test for admission to medical and dental colleges. Nagendar Sharma & Aurangzeb Naqshbandi report. Testing times | NEET picking

The Centre on Friday made clear its intention to explore all legal and legislative options to reverse the controversial Supreme Court judgment scrapping the common entrance test for admission to medical and dental colleges.

HT Image

“We will go to any extent to get the common entrance test restored,” said an official. The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), which was held for the first time this year, was taken by more than 7 lakh students.

The options being explored by the government include filing a review petition in the Supreme Court and taking the matter to Parliament if unanimity emerges among political parties.

Health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad met officials in his ministry to discuss the judgment’s ramifications. "A lot of time and money was spent on conducting the NEET. The decision to scrap it is troublesome for students," he said, adding the judgment was against students’ interests.

“The common test, apart from sparing students the agony of taking multiple entrance exams, would help end the confusion caused by seats blocked by students who are selected in many colleges and then opt for the best,” said a government official.

The top court’s verdict on Thursday to scrap the common entrance test restored the powers of private colleges to admit students as per their own norms. But the SC said this year’s admissions will not be disturbed.