Pvt medical colleges, deemed institutions to have their own, NEET for GMCs only

Pvt medical colleges, deemed institutions to have their own, NEET for GMCs only

By Vikas Vaidya

Supreme Court on Monday lifted the bar on declaration of results for MBBS and medical post graduate courses for which entrance exams have already been conducted in the current academic year. According to experts, though in the order of Supreme Court it is not mentioned, as discussed, the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) UG will be only for admission to Government Medical Colleges (GMCs). Associations of private medical and dental colleges and Deemed to be institutions will have their own tests as were conducted in the year 2012.
With the judgement, the fight between MCI and private medical colleges have come to a halt. This development is being interpreted as defeat of MCI.
The apex court modified its December 13, 2012 order by which it had stated that the Medical Council of India, the Dental Council of India, as well as the States, Universities and other Institutions, will be entitled to conduct their respective examinations for MBBS, BDS and post-graduate courses, but shall not declare the results of the same, until its further orders.
A senior lawyer at New Delhi told The Hitavada, “The matter being fought in Supreme Court is not regarding whether NEET should be the only test for admission to medical colleges or not. It is for deciding whether MCI is empowered to regulate the entrance tests or not? This is an interim order and matter will be clear further on July 2 when Supreme Court deliver final order.”
Kamalkishor Kadam, President of Association of Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges pointed out, “As per the judgement, now different institutions can conduct their own entrance tests which we are conducting. NEET UG will be only for GMCs in the country.” The quota of GMCs in respective states would be protected.
The students who appeared in NEET PG feel disappointed. Their results were supposed to be declared on January 31 which have been delayed by five months.
Kadam said, “The major difficulty before us to conduct admission process for PG seats. Supreme Court has made it clear that we have to complete the process by May 31. In such a short period it is tedious to conduct two rounds and fill up the seats.”
The National Board of Examinations (NBE) had held the NEET-PG for post-graduate medical and dental courses in December 2012.
Two years ago when the Supreme Court had directed the Medical Council of India (MCI) to introduce a nationwide single test for admission to under graduate and post graduate medical courses, lakhs of students, unhappy with admission tests conducted by private consortiums, and deemed to be universities, had happily applauded.
MCI was supposed to conduct NEET for admission to the MBBS course from the academic year 2012-13, but due to pressure from various stakeholders including the Karnataka government, it postponed it to 2013-14. But now a bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir has in an interim order allowed the state governments, private medical institutions and deemed to be universities to follow last year’s admission process for this academic year as well.