The Supreme Court on Thursday gave its approval to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for holding a single entrance test for admission to MBBS and BDS courses for the 2016-17 academic session across the country.
The CBSE, represented by Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, submitted a schedule before the court, stating the All India Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental Test to be held on May 1 would be known as National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-I (NEET-I).
The remaining candidates can appear in another examination on July 24 which would be treated as NEET-II. The combined results would be announced on August 17 with all India rankings, while counselling and admission process would be completed by September 30.
Taking up a petition filed by Sankalp Charitable Trust, a 3-judge bench presided over by Justice Anil R Dave rejected a plea by different states, medical colleges and their associations for withholding a common examination till their petitions opposing NEET were decided. The court said those opposing NEET were not parties before the instant proceeding.
Besides, the notifications issued by the statutory bodies, the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Dental Council of India, for holding a common entrance examination on December 21, 2010, “are in operation as on today”.
Notably, a 5-judge Constitution bench had on April 11 recalled its 2013 judgment, that had quashed the proposed single test for admission to MBBS and BDS courses in all colleges.
The Centre and MCI had on Wednesday expressed their readiness for conducting NEET. As the apex court had directed the CBSE, the examination conducting body, to submit programmes, the counsel representing Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka Private Medical Colleges Association appeared to vehemently lodge their opposition against NEET. As many as 6.62 lakh students are expected to appear for NEET-I in 1,040 centres across 52 cities.
Published 28 April 2016, 19:49 IST