State to move SC on medical CET

Updated on: Friday, September 30, 2011

Maharashtra is up in arms against the Centre’s move to introduce a common examination for the country’s medical colleges next year. The state education department has decided to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court.

Maharashtra is not alone in opposing the National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, too, are against an umbrella selection procedure for MBBS seats.

Medical education minister Dr Vijaykumar Gavit said, “We are not against the NEET per se. Our demand is that the Union government should start conducting the test two years after framing a common curriculum for physics, biology and chemistry for standards XI and XII. But the Centre is keen on going ahead with its plans to hold NEET for the 2012-13 session. Therefore Maharashtra has decided to oppose it. About filing a case in the SC, I am discussing it over with chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.”

At present, the state holds the Maharashtra Health and Technology Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET) for admissions in medical, engineering and pharmacy undergraduate courses.

An education department official said the Medical Council of India (MCI) should go slow on administering NEET. He said, “The MCI has uploaded the core syllabus for NEET on its website. Going through it, students in Maharashtra have become concerned about differences with the syllabus prescribed in the state.”

State to move SC on medical CET

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