Parliament approves admission to medical, dental courses under NEET

Health Minister J P Nadda said that exams to private colleges will also be conducted under NEET

From next year, admission to medical and dental courses across the country will be done through a single common entrance test, with Parliament on Monday approving two significant Bills providing for putting National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) in place.

The government said the NEET is designed to curb corruption by bringing in transparency, checking multiplicity of exams and to stop exploitation of students in counselling.

Under the new system, exams to private colleges will also be conducted under NEET, Health Minister J P Nadda said, responding to contention by some members that it will benefit private institutions.

The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016, and The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016, approved by the Lok Sabha earlier, were passed by the Rajya Sabha by voice vote.

 

Most of the parties supported the government move to have NEET except AIADMK which opposed it and staged a walkout, arguing that it will affect rural students who do not study Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) syllabus.

Replying to a debate on these Bills, Nadda said, "NEET is intended to check multiplicity of exams... To bring transparency to curb corruption and to stop the exploitation of students during counselling."

Earlier, students would have to travel long distances to appear for several medical entrance examinations but the new legislation will bring this to an end, he said.

Responding to apprehensions expressed by some members, particularly from Tamil Nadu where reservation is up to 85 per cent, he clarified, "We are not going to touch the state quota... We will give the name, ranking, domicile and percentile... Now it is for the state governments to decide and give extra marks... And give admissions to reserved categories."

Nadda said the exam will be held on the basis of the syllabus of National Council of Educational Research and Training and the under-graduate exam will be taken up by CBSE and post-graduation by the national board of examination.

"In the syllabus, we bring parity. Concerns of the state governments will be addressed... We will do standardisation of syllabus so that rural students can also be taken care of," he said.

"Tests will also be conducted in regional languages," Nadda said, responding to apprehensions over the issue.

He said that the Health Ministry has written to all the states seeking details about the number of students who appeared in local languages in the last three years so that the Centre can make plans accordingly.