Plea in SC against NEET exemption for states

An Indore-based doctor has approached the Supreme Court seeking direction to quash the ordinance issued on May 24, granting exemption to states from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

The petition filed by Madhya Pradesh Vyapam scam whistleblower Dr Anand Rai, along with medical student Sanjeev Shukla, contended that the Centre’s U-turn on the test was taken purely on political considerations with mala fide intention.

The petitioner claimed that the ordinance would make students suffer irreparably as it has created confusion among them. 

“The present ordinance is a completely contradictory stand by the Union government within a span of a four weeks. This is also at a belated stage as the examination itself is to be scheduled within the next eight weeks as per the schedule given before the SC and notified in its order on April 27 and 28,” the petitioner said.

Besides being in contravention of the apex court’s orders, the petitioner said: “The ordinance under question makes an exception for states where they have a separate mechanism for entrance. This classification is unfair and arbitrary to lakhs and thousands of students in other states who do have to give the common entrance test and essentially there is great inequality before the law.”

Phase I of NEET was held on May 1 and Phase II is scheduled for July 24. The ordinance grants permission to states to conduct their own test for admission to MBBS and BDS courses in their medical colleges and fill state quota seats in private medical colleges as well.