Govt puts off NEET for another year

Updated on: Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Even as the Supreme Court is yet to decide on holding a pan-India single entrance test for admission to MBBS courses, government has decided to postpone the test by another year after opposition from several states.

In view of this, CBSE has decided to carry on with its All India Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Entrance Examination (AIPMT) for filling only 15 per cent all-India quota seats as per the existing pattern.

CBSE will hold the AIPMT Preliminary Examination on April 1, 2012, and final examination on May 13, 2012.

CBSE had earlier announced the conduct of the all India National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to MBBS courses across the country on May 13, 2012. in keeping with the decision of Union Health Ministry.

T he Medical Council of India, which was to conduct the exam, has requested CBSE to hold the same on its behalf.

The Union Health Ministry has filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court, which is hearing the case, for allowing the Medical Council of India to withdraw its notification for holding NEET in 2012 and granting more time to it for holding
the exam.

At least six states - Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Goa, Puducherry and Assam, having over 60 per
cent of the MBBS seats in the country, had expressed opposition to the common medical exam.

The states had pleaded that NEET be held in their regional/vernacular languages and the exam syllabi be known to aspirants at least two years in advance (when they were in Class XI) to enable them to prepare themselves well for it.

While the Supreme Court will hear the case in January, the Union Health Ministry has in its affidavit sought more time for deciding on the issue for addressing the concerns of the states opposing it.

Confirming that his Ministry had filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court asking for more time, Health Secretary P K Pradhan told PTI that "our aim is to have all the states on board. We have sought more time to address the concerns of those states which had expressed reservations on the NEET."

The states opposed to NEET in present form have over 60 per cent of all the medical seats in 335 government and private medical colleges across the country.

CBSE has in its latest order announced the eligibility conditions, centre cities, syllabus, pattern, etc. will remain similar to those of AIPMT 2011 examination for which information is already available on its website www.aipmt.nic.in.

Govt puts off NEET for another year

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