Thiruvananthapuram: An earlier attempt to bring in a common entrance exam by the MCI was shot down by the Supreme Court. The move also faced opposition from state governments.
Though the MCI decided to conduct National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admissions to MBBS, BDS and postgraduate courses in all medical colleges for 2013-14 academic year, the apex court quashed its notification allowing private colleges to hold their own test in a majority 2-1 verdict.
The majority of two judges were of the view that NEET violated the right to trade under Article 19(1) (g). The majority of judges also argued that the right of the MCI to prescribe standards of education could not be extended to controlling all admissions.
The judges ruled that a single test would give an advantage to students in big cities as the standard of education was different in different parts of the country and bring about a divide between urban and rural areas.
The NEET plan had faced opposition right from the time it was conceptualised. Though it was planned to be implemented in the 2012-2013 academic year, it was delayed for one year following opposition from states.
Following this, the ministry agreed to conduct the test in six regional languages of Tamil, Marathi, Assamese, Bengali, Telugu and Gujarati. One of the reasons for the opposition was the fact that the education was in the concurrent list, and the Central government could not unilaterally implement the same.
One of the advantages of the CET was that students need not have to take multiple entrance exams. As of now, the country has nearly 70,000 seats for MBBS and 21,000 seats for MD in institutions across India.
Importantly, every state government, many private medical college associations, deemed universities and minority institutes, and other reputed institutions conduct their common test.
Students are forced to take multiple tests as they did not want to risk their chances. They would also save money on travel and filling the forms for various entrance exams.
As examination and counseling of various entrance tests to be on the same date but different places which made a student choose between one among them.
This new move would ensure that students are spared from choosing between the various examinations as CET will be all for every medical college.
However, some critics point out that the single exam will result in control of Central government over the system with the State governments having a minimum role in it.
