The central government has turned down requests from Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry to exempt students from both the states appearing in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for undergraduate and postgraduate medical admissions. This information was shared by Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' in a response to a question in Lok Sabha.
The Education Minister said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have received requests from the state governments of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu to exempt students from appearing in NEET, the national level entrance examination for medical and dental courses.
"However, Section 10D of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 prescribes conducting of a uniform entrance examination, namely NEET for medical admissions. Since the provisions of the above Act apply across the country without exemption, no relaxation was given to the states," the minister said.
With regard to students ending their lives due to failure to clear NEET, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has informed the Education Ministry that they have no information in this regard.
The minister was responding to a question from members from Tamil Nadu who asked the data regarding medical aspirant students ended their lives after failing to clear the NEET exam for admission in MBBS course across the country.
The minister also said the Government has any proposal to stop NEET exam.
NEET exam was conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA), the newly formed government agency mandated to organise entrance examinations in the country, this year.
Total 15,19,375 students registered for NEET exam this year. From those who registered, 14,10,755 appeaerd in the NEET exam and 7,97,042 have qualified.
The admission process based the NEET scores are underway in all India and state levels now.
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