Two bills seeking to replace as many ordinances to keep state boards out of the ambit of uniform medical and dental entrance examination NEET for this year are set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha tomorrow.
The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016--seeking to amend the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and the Dentists Act, 1948 to replace the ordinances were slated to be introduced in the lower house today by Health Minister J P Nadda.
But following the demise of sitting BJP MP Dalpat Singh Paraste in June, the proceedings of the House were adjourned for the day as a mark of respect.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs S S Ahluwalia was also to table copies of the two ordinances in the House.
Now, today's legislative agenda will be carried forward for tomorrow.
While an ordinance has a life of six months, it should be passed as a bill within 42 days (6 weeks) from the day a Parliament session commences to prevent it from lapsing.
Under mounting pressure from several states, government had in May promulgated two ordinances to keep state boards out of the ambit of uniform medical and dental entrance examination, National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), for this year.
The ordinances seek to "partially" overturn a Supreme Court verdict which said all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under NEET.
On July 14, the Supreme Court had said the validity of the Centre's ordinance allowing states to conduct separate entrance tests for admission to MBBS and BDS courses for the 2016-17 academic year was "in doubt", but had rejected a plea seeking a stay on it saying half the states have already conducted their tests.
"It is disturbing and not proper for the government to bring an ordinance allowing states to hold their own tests despite our orders...Prima facie, we find that the validity of the ordinance is in doubt," a bench comprising justices A R Dave, A K Goel and Shiv Kirti Singh had said.
