JP Nadda's health ministry was asked by President Pranab Mukherjee to explain the reasons for taking the ordinance route on NEET.
Highlights
- Centre asked to explain ordinance route to keep state boards out of NEET
- Ordinance partially overturns top court order on common medical entrance
- With the ordinance, seats for domicile students will come under NEET
President Pranab Mukherjee has sought more information from the Health Ministry over the decision to bring an Ordinance or executive order to put NEET -- the common entrance test for medical courses -- on hold for this year in the states.
The Ordinance had been sent on Saturday to the President, who leaves for China on Tuesday.
This afternoon, after Health Minister JP Nadda briefed him, the President sought the Attorney General's advice. Mr Nadda - who had to cancel a visit to Geneva to attend a conference -- is expected to meet the President again to resolve some fresh queries that have come up.
The President's query comes days after the Central rule in Uttarakhand was overturned by the Uttarakhand High Court and on the direction of the Supreme Court, a trust vote restored the Harish Rawat government. At the time, a section in the Congress had criticised Mr Mukherjee, saying the Centre's recommendation for President's Rule was accepted in a hurry.
The Ordinance on NEET -- cleared by the Cabinet on Friday -- is aimed at bypassing a Supreme Court order that had taken into account the allegations of corruption in the method of multiple medical entrance tests by states and private colleges. The court had directed that a common entrance test, NEET, or the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test will be held across India.
But state governments had objected to its implementation from this year, saying it will be too stressful for students. After the Supreme Court turned down the plea, the Centre had decided to take the ordinance route.
The first phase of NEET was held on May 1. In absence of an Ordinance, the next will have to be held on July 24.