Supreme Court orders single entrance test for medical courses

April 28, 2016

New Delhi, Apr 28: The Supreme Court today cleared the decks for holding of National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET), a single common entrance test for admission to MBBS and BDS courses, in two phases for the academic year 2016-17 in which around 6.5 lakh candidates are likely to appear.med1

The apex court approved the schedule put before it by the Centre, CBSE and the Medical Medical Council of India (MCI) for treating All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) fixed for May 1 as NEET-1 and those who have not applied for AIPMT will be given opportunity to appear in NEET-II on July 24 and the combined result would be declared on August 17 so that the admission process can be completed by September 30.

The order would imply that all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under the NEET and those examinations which have already taken place or slated to be conducted separately stands scrapped.

The order, ending all uncertainity, was pronounced after rejecting the opposition for holding NEET by states including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Association of Karnataka Medical Colleges besides minority institutions like CMC Vellore which had contended that NEET cannot be imposed on them.

The apex court order also revives the Government's Decemeber 21, 2010 notification for holding single common entrance test through NEET with a clarification that any challenge on the issue would directly come before it and no High Court can interfere in it.

The court was of the view that since it has recalled its April 11 order, there was no hindrance in holding the single entrance test.

"In view of the submissions made on behalf of the respondents (Centre, CBSE, MCI), we record that NEET shall be held as stated by the respondents. We further clarify that notwithstanding any order passed by any Court earlier with regard to not holding NEET, this order shall operate. Therefore, no further order is required to be passed at this stage," a bench comprising Justices A R Dave, Shiva Kirti Singh and A K Goel said.

While rejecting the contention that it would not be proper to hold NEET in view of the July 18, 2013 judgement which had scrapped the NEET, the bench said, "We do not agree with the first submission for the reason that the said judgement has already been recalled on April 11, 2016 and therefore, the notifications dated December 21, 2010 are in operation as on today."

"It may however be clarified that by this order hearing of the petitions which are pending before this Court will not be affected," the bench said.

Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand and senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the Centre and MCI respectively submitted that 6,67,637 candidates are appearing fot the All India Pre-medical/Pre-dental Entrance Test, scheduled for May 1 from 1,040 centres in 52 cities, including abroad.

They submitted that by turning the May 1 entrance exam as NEET-1 would protect the interests of students who have already left their homes for the exams and have fully prepared for it.

Tamil Nadu, through senior advocate L Nageshwar Rao, strongly objected to NEET and said there is no culture of entrance exams in the state since 2007 in view of a prevailing legislation and the marks secured in class XII is considered as qualifying marks to make a level-playing field for the rural students.

Senior advocate K K Venugopal protested passing of the order on behalf of the Association of Karnataka Medical Colleges saying that there should not by any hurry and all stakeholders should be given a detailed hearing.

Senior advocate Gopal Subramanium, appearing for CMC, Vellore said that the entrance exam by the minority institution has been for years and NEET should not come in its way.

The court also rejected the contention of senior advocates Rajeev Dhavan and P P Rao that April 11 order has not revived the NEET and it will not apply to all states which can hold separate entrance tests.

During the hearing, the bench observed that it was running "against the time".
The petition filed by NGO Sankalp Charitable Trust was listed for hearing today after it was mentioned late yesterday.

On April 11, the apex court had recalled its controversial judgement scrapping single common entrance test for admission to MBBS, BDS and PG courses in all medical colleges, delivered by then Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir on the day of his retirement.

In its petition, the NGO said that the Centre, MCI and CBSE were dilly-dallying in implementing the court's order on implementing the National Eligibility Entrance Test.
It further said that in view of April 11 judgement decks were cleared for holding of Common Entrance Examination and there is no impediment in having the test for admission to Medical Colleges for current academic year 2016-17.

The petitioner claimed that according to a research conducted by the NGO it was found that as many as 90 entrance examinations are being held by private and government authorities separately which resulted in shelling out lakhs of rupees in taking the examination.

"It has also been widely noticed that the examinations are not conducted in a free and fair manner and admissions are granted to chosen few," the plea said.

Comments

ramana rao g v
 - 
Thursday, 28 Apr 2016

The process has almost completed in several states. The decision to conduct the exam NEET is to be considered next year ie for 2017 admissions onwards.

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News Network
March 15,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 15: All 21 Madhya Pradesh MLAs from Jyotiraditya Scindia's camp, who were lodged here at Prestige Golfshire Club, have been shifted to Ramada hotel in Yelahanka ahead of Monday's floor test in the state assembly.

In view of their arrival, the concerned authorities have strengthened security outside the hotel.

Following the exit of Scindia from Congress, these MLAs claimed to have resigned from the state Legislative Assembly.

On March 11, Congress sent two of its leaders -- Sajjan Singh Verma and Govind Singh -- to Bengaluru in order to pacify some of these rebel MLAs.

Most of the rebel MLAs are perceived close to Scindia and were apparently unhappy at Scindia being "ignored" in the party.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs, who arrived in Bhopal from Jaipur today morning ahead of the floor test in the Assembly on Monday, have been shifted to Courtyard by Marriott Hotel.

These MLAs were accompanied by senior Congress leader Harish Rawat, who exuded confidence of Kamal-Nath led government winning floor test in the Assembly.

Both Congress and BJP have issued whips to all its MLAs for the legislative assembly session in Madhya Pradesh, which is scheduled to be held from March 16 to April 13.

On Saturday, Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon had directed that a floor test will be held in the assembly on Monday.

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News Network
June 30,2020

Tumakuru, Jun 30: As many as 43 sheep were quarantined after a shepherd tested positive for novel coronavirus at Godekere Gollarahatti in Tumakuru district. 

J C Madhuswamy, district in-charge minister, has instructed the district administration and the Animal Husbandry department to subject the sheep to Covid-19 tests.

The move followed after five sheep found dead in mysterious circumstances at the village. All 43 sheep of the infected person have been isolated from the herd and kept at a place in Jakkanahalli.

"There is no evidence that the sheep can contract Covid-19 and transmit the virus to the people. But since the virus has many strains and keep changing its genetic make-up, draw throat swab samples of the sheep and send the same to Covid-19 lab. Till the report comes, keep the livestock in isolation," Madhuswamy told the officials.

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News Network
July 16,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 16: Former Prime Minister and JDS supremo H D Devegowda on Thursday gave a clarion call to party workers to take steps to strengthen the party from the grossroots level and to 'expose the failures' and 'anti-people' policies of BJP government both at the Centre and State.

In an open letter to the workers here, he alleged that the urgent need is to create awareness among the people about failure of the governments which have brought in policies which are deterrent to the poor and downtrodden.

BJP government headed by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa in Karnataka has come up with an amendment to the Land Reforms Act,1961, which is 'against' interests of the small and medium farmers as even a non-agriculturist can purchase agriculture land, thus giving an opportunity to the rich people to 'exploit' illiterate farmers and purchase their land and use it for some other purpose after some time.

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