Chennai: The Madras High Court has directed the authorities to consider and pass orders on a representation which sought a direction from them to make admissions to MBBS course based on the marks obtained in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) along with marks secured in Plus-2 examinations.
Passing interim orders on a petition from Dr P.Ramachandran, a division bench comprising Justices N. Kirubakaran and Justice V. Parthiban said the issue raised is a very large one. Without wishing to express any opinion on the merits, the court directed the authorities to consider and pass orders on the petitioner's representation within three weeks. However, the larger issue in the petition is kept pending. "Post the matter after vacation for reporting compliance and for passing further orders", the bench ordered.
According to the petitioner, who is a practising doctor from Cuddalore district, as many as 10 lakh candidates are likely to appear in the NEET exam to be held on May 7 in about 1,500 examination centres across the country. Each state has its own system and pattern of education, including the medium of instruction. Children in the metropolitan areas enjoy greater privileges than the students from the rural areas as far as education was concerned.
In a single window competition, the disparity in educational standards in different parts of the country cannot ensure a level playing field. Most of the students come from the state board syllabus and only a small section of students are from the CBSE syllabus in Tamil Nadu. Those who studied in the state board syllabus will be unable to write NEET capably.
From the beginning, the government of Tamil Nadu opposed the introduction of NEET and sought exemption. After the judgment of the apex Court, the CBSE had to conduct NEET and make a selection for the MBBS/BDS courses.
The government of Tamil Nadu has passed a legislation exempting students from the state from taking the NEET for admission to medical dental colleges across the country. Clause V of the notification issued by the Medical Council of India stated that admission to MBBS course should be solely based on marks obtained in the NEET.
There was a methodology of taking into consideration of marks obtained in Plus Two along with the marks obtained in the entrance examination for admitting students in professional colleges. He sent a representation to the authorities to make admissions based on the marks obtained in NEET along with the marks secured in Plus Two. But there was no response, he added.
