A clear and categorical directive given by the country’s apex court to Medical Council of India to go ahead with conducting a common entrance test for providing admission to eligible candidates into M.B.B.S in all medical colleges augurs well and is a welcome step, though belated. The aspiring, students, hitherto were subjected to write nearly 17 entrance tests for 35,000 MBBS seats in 350 medical colleges (185 in private sector and 150 in Govt sector) run by Government, Deemed Universities, Minorities, Trusts, Societies and private operators. This All India common entrance test relieves the students from great stress and strain as they can now focus only on one entrance test even for seeking admission into premier medical Institutions like AIIMS. No College / state will conduct their own entrance test hereafter. Lot of money and time are also saved for students and parents by this single entrance test for all MBBS admissions. This all encompassing, countrywide admission test for all medical colleges will ensure quality students entering medical education as all states are obliged to fill seats in their respective jurisdiction with students who figure in the All India merit list. MCI, the apex regulator for medical education and training issued two notifications in this regard which
were questioned by some medical colleges. The Supreme Court heard the views and pleas of all stakeholders before giving the final directive. The Court is very cautious of reactions of the students, a volatile community, and shown concern that it cannot give goodbye to a settled procedure. The plea of the Govt. of Tamil Nadu and its initial reluctance was taken note off by the court. There is no entrance examination at all for UG medical admission in Tamil Nadu. The Govt. of Andhra Pradesh had its own reservations on this NEET, like multi rules, local and non-local, 33%reservation for girls in all categories, 25% weightage given for intermediate marks in the EAMCET rank, the variation between state syllabus and CBSE syllabus for 11and12 standards, the relative disadvantage to rural and mother tongue media students, the fear that CBSE may be biased to its syllabus while setting the test question paper and feeling that the present Intermediate second year students have already completed their study of Biology, Physics and Chemistry with focus on state entrance test. The Supreme Court rejected all these pleadings and clarified that MCI is competent to act independent of the Govt. on the issue. Accordingly MCI took effective and time bound steps to conduct this single test and put up draft syllabus prepared by the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) inviting comments from all concerned. This draft syllabus is available on MCI website till Aug 21.The syllabus is required to be followed by 11and12 standard students. The NEET test is objective type and in Englishmedium contains questions on Physics, Chemistry and Biology subjects and the time duration is 180 minutes. This single test will replace different medical entrance tests, including All India PMT conducted by the CBSE and various state levels medical entrance tests. It gives great relief to approximately eight lakh students taking UG medical entrance tests every year. These orders of Supreme Court can be well appreciated and viewed as most positive stroke of judicial activism reflecting its concern to enhance the quality and standard of higher education in India, which is the need of the hour. It is the first step in this direction and has sent a correct message to other areas of higher education, especially technical and professional. It should be understood as a positive step in overhauling medical education and its standards to match global standards and requirements. The highest court also kept in its view the acute shortage of doctors in the country and vagaries of private operators in this field of medical education in making admissions, conducting classes and examinations. The country needs 50,000 graduates every year and we are now producing 23,000 doctors. To assure quality education with hands on hospital experience, the efforts of MCI should be honoured to keep out fly by night operators in the field. All apprehensions of Govt. of AP were cleared with the assurance that this test only gives National rank based on merit. The states have every freedom to make admissions as per their existing reservation, principles, regional, social and gender etc. In fact this should be extended to other areas of entrance tests for better quality and standard in higher education which is being sacrificed due to large scale commercialisation in this field.
were questioned by some medical colleges. The Supreme Court heard the views and pleas of all stakeholders before giving the final directive. The Court is very cautious of reactions of the students, a volatile community, and shown concern that it cannot give goodbye to a settled procedure. The plea of the Govt. of Tamil Nadu and its initial reluctance was taken note off by the court. There is no entrance examination at all for UG medical admission in Tamil Nadu. The Govt. of Andhra Pradesh had its own reservations on this NEET, like multi rules, local and non-local, 33%reservation for girls in all categories, 25% weightage given for intermediate marks in the EAMCET rank, the variation between state syllabus and CBSE syllabus for 11and12 standards, the relative disadvantage to rural and mother tongue media students, the fear that CBSE may be biased to its syllabus while setting the test question paper and feeling that the present Intermediate second year students have already completed their study of Biology, Physics and Chemistry with focus on state entrance test. The Supreme Court rejected all these pleadings and clarified that MCI is competent to act independent of the Govt. on the issue. Accordingly MCI took effective and time bound steps to conduct this single test and put up draft syllabus prepared by the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) inviting comments from all concerned. This draft syllabus is available on MCI website till Aug 21.The syllabus is required to be followed by 11and12 standard students. The NEET test is objective type and in Englishmedium contains questions on Physics, Chemistry and Biology subjects and the time duration is 180 minutes. This single test will replace different medical entrance tests, including All India PMT conducted by the CBSE and various state levels medical entrance tests. It gives great relief to approximately eight lakh students taking UG medical entrance tests every year. These orders of Supreme Court can be well appreciated and viewed as most positive stroke of judicial activism reflecting its concern to enhance the quality and standard of higher education in India, which is the need of the hour. It is the first step in this direction and has sent a correct message to other areas of higher education, especially technical and professional. It should be understood as a positive step in overhauling medical education and its standards to match global standards and requirements. The highest court also kept in its view the acute shortage of doctors in the country and vagaries of private operators in this field of medical education in making admissions, conducting classes and examinations. The country needs 50,000 graduates every year and we are now producing 23,000 doctors. To assure quality education with hands on hospital experience, the efforts of MCI should be honoured to keep out fly by night operators in the field. All apprehensions of Govt. of AP were cleared with the assurance that this test only gives National rank based on merit. The states have every freedom to make admissions as per their existing reservation, principles, regional, social and gender etc. In fact this should be extended to other areas of entrance tests for better quality and standard in higher education which is being sacrificed due to large scale commercialisation in this field.
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