NEET or CET? Veterinary students in Maharashtra confused

Students have now approached the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) seeking clarity, but there seems to be very little help coming their way...

At a time when medical aspirants are busy preparing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2017, students wanting to opt for veterinary sciences are unsure which entrance test they will have to appear for. Students have now approached the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) seeking clarity, but there seems to be very little help coming their way.

Veterinary aspirants, seeking clarity on the issue, have been asked to approach their respective department at Mantralaya. (Rep pic/ Getty Images)

“The state government resolution on scrapping CET for health science courses does not mention our course at all, neither does the DTE website. Just because we are fewer in numbers, we have been left in the lurch by officials,” said a student, on condition of anonymity. Every year a few thousand students appear for the entrance examination, and till now they used to appear for the Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by DTE.

While the letter has been received by officials at DTE, students have been asked to approach their respective department at Mantralaya for better clarity. “We or the state CET cell cannot decide on which exam these students should give. If the government gives their final word, we will have no problem in conducting their entrance test,” said Dayanand Meshram, joint director, DTE.

After deciding to scrap CET for health science aspirants, the state government had to release a GR in November this year to make it clear that while admissions to health science courses, including medical and dental courses, will be conducted on the basis of NEET score from 2017, pharmacy and engineering aspirants will have to opt for CET. Another GR made it clear that courses like physiotherapy and occupational therapy too will fall under the health science category. However, there’s been no such clarity given to veterinary science aspirants till date.

“Once there’s a clear decision, we can start focusing on the exam syllabus because in case we end up appearing for NEET, we will have to study the CBSE curriculum whereas for CET we follow the HSC curriculum. There’s too much confusion at present,” added another student. Many have decided to meet the state medical education minister, Girish Mahajan, to seek help in this matter.