States Say Defer NEET, Centre Agrees To Consider Students' Dilemma

New Delhi: Facing stiff opposition from several states over holding the common entrance test NEET for admission to medical colleges, the Centre is likely to approach the Supreme Court or issue an Ordinance to defer it by a year.

The decision came after a day of hectic activity by health minister JP Nadda, who met health ministers of 14 states in the Capital over NEET, or the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test. Another meeting was held in the evening with the leaders of Congress, the INLD, Left and PDP along with Union finance minister Arun Jaitley at the latter's office in north block.

"We are consulting political parties too... All are in agreement that NEET must be there. However, there are three important questions of language of exam and syllabus which is different  and we are trying to address that," said Mr Nadda.

"Every party here today opposed the NEET being held this year, as the time is very short and all state boards have different syllabus...  Ordinance or review in the Supreme Court should be the next step," said INLD lawmaker Dushyant Chautala, who attended the meeting.

So far 6.5 lakh students have already sat for the first phase of NEET held on 1st of May. The next phase of the exam is scheduled for July 24.

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Regarding the ordinance the Centre is considering to defer NEET One to next year, Mr Nadda told NDTV that while consultations with states was on, "it was too early to pass judgment on whether an ordinance will be brought out".

Last week, the top court had turned down a clutch of petitions seeking permission to hold separate admission tests for medical colleges.

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The court had ordered last month that students need to take only one common entrance test, the NEET, for entry to medical colleges.

The order came in relation to a petition which said that multiple entrance tests both by states and private colleges has given rise to corruption.

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But following the order, several states -- including Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu -- opposed the implementation of a common entrance test this year.

The Delhi government, which has welcomed the top court order on NEET, today said several politicians were running medical colleges and there was huge corruption in admissions.

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Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain said, "Perhaps ground was being prepared to bring an ordinance to defeat NEET".