SC nod to single CET for medical courses

The Supreme Court on Monday gave its nod for a single eligibility-cum-entrance test for MBBS, post-graduate and super-speciality courses.

A bench of Justices R V Raveendran and A K Patnaik disposed a bunch of petitions after the Medical Council of India (MCI)—statutory body to regulate medical education in the country—informed that all necessary rules have been put in place in this regard.

The new examination would be called National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for undergraduate, post-graduate and super-speciality courses.

Additional Solicitor General, Amrendra Sharan told the Court that NEET for undergraduates would be held in April/ May 2012 for the academic session 2012-13 while the modalities were being worked out for common entrance test -NEET-PG as examinations are scheduled for January 2012.

“Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) would be responsible for preparing question papers and logistic arrangements for NEET-UG. Earlier, CBSE has already indicated that for security reasons, the question papers would be in English and Hindi only,” he said.

“Rules have been put in place. MCI is allowed to go ahead with the common entrance test with all three layers in medical education,” the court said, giving its green signal for the same.

The decision of MCI would come as major relief for parents as well as students who would be saved from monetary loss as well as rigours of numerous examinations.

In a note submitted to the Court, Sharan said that a meeting of senior officials of health ministry, MCI, CBSE and AIIMS was held here on July 18 whereby it was decided to comply with the direction of the Supreme Court in this regard earlier.

The core syllabus, the pattern of papers of different subjects for NEET-UG would be made available on the MCI’s website by August 2012 for feed back. The modalities to hold common test for super speciality courses were being worked out.

The Central government had accorded the approval for common entrance test on August 13 but the Health Ministry did not agree to the move, prompting the Court to direct all parties to sit across the table to sort out the issue.