NEWS

SC refuses to stay NEET ordinance, says matter be mentioned before CJI bench

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday refuses to stay the ordinance on National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET), saying there was no need for an interim order and this matter should be mentioned before the Chief Justice of India in July.
Justifying its stand, the apex court said that the government has not denied NEET, adding the exemption was given only to some states, which is why there will confusion if it intervenes at this stage.
This development comes after a fresh petition was filed in the Supreme Court challenging the validity of the Centre's decision to bring in an ordinance allowing states to conduct their own medical entrance examinations this year.
Vyapam scam whistleblower Anand Rai and medical student Sanjeev Saxena yesterday filed a petition in the Supreme Court.
A group of students in favour of the NEET ordinance' granting exemption to states from the common entrance test for admission to government medical colleges for 2016-17 had earlier filed a caveat in the apex court to ensure that no stay was granted without hearing them.
Soon after the ordinance was promulgated on May 24, the Sankalp Trust, which is in favour of the NEET, had announced its intention to challenge the ordinance.
The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016, and the Dentists (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016, have been promulgated to provide for a uniform entrance examination for Undergraduate and Post-Graduate admissions with a provision that for UG admission for 2016-17 only, the state government seats (both in Government and Private Medical Colleges) shall be exempt from the purview of the NEET regulations if the state government so opts.
The NEET is being implemented from the current year itself for all the UG admissions in all private institution in respect of their seats.
The first phase has been conducted on May 1 and the second phase is to be held on July 24.
Only state government seats in government Medical Colleges and state government seats in private institutions will have exemption for the current year.
Six states and one Union Territory are already participating in the NEET this year and the ordinances will allow them as well as any other state which so opts to fill up their state government seats from NEET for 2016-17 UG admissions.

Source: New Indian Express

Confusions about NEET

Recently Centre Govt. passed a ordinance that the neet will be applicable for all states from next year, but all private institutes will be covered in neet from this year only. 
Dont know when the final decision of NEET UG and NEET PG will be taken and the students will be relieved from the dilemma.   

Minister Nadda interview on DNA India
Putting to rest speculations that the Centre was trying to defer National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) this year by introducing an ordinance to keep states out of ITS ambit, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda on Tuesday said the ordinance has in fact been implemented and given a statutory support taking note of the concerns put forth by the various states.
Nadda told a press briefing that President Pranab Mukherjee has given his nod to the NEET ordinance sent by the Union Cabinet for approval.
"The NEET ordinance has been given a firm statutory basis. I would like to clarify. Some sections of the media had reported that NEET has been deferred. In fact, NEET has been implemented. It has been given a statutory basis," he added.
Nadda said the BJP-led NDA government was always in favour of NEET, and overcame many hurdles to expedite the the matter.
"In fact, it was the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which had gone for a review petition. We even wanted an early hearing. There were several hurdles, but we got it cleared and wanted that NEET be implemented," he added.
Nadda, however, said the respective state governments could not put forth their views properly before the Supreme Court.
"So, after the Supreme Court order, several states approached the Centre with their problems. Later, this was echoed in Parliament and various MPs also raised their concerns. Even an all-party meeting was convened on May 16 to discuss the issue," he added.
The Health Minister further said the main bone of contention was syllabus and regional language.
"Same was discussed in all-party meeting; the view was that NEET in principle is to be implemented. But at the same time, the issue of ongoing tests of various state governments should be taken into consideration and we should also address the issue related to language and syllabus," he added.
Nadda said the Centre came up with an ordinance after considering all concerns voiced by the states.
"We have tried to give a provision where we give an exemption to the states and an option to conduct the state examination (including those who have already conducted the exams). All private medical colleges come under the ambit of NEET. The states will get an option to either appear this year 2016-17 for undergraduate exams (or join next year). The NEET for post graduate entry will be held in December this year. The seats will be filled either by NEET or by the state exam quota. Even in the private colleges, the seats to be filled by state exams will continue to be done that way this year," he added.
President Pranab Mukherjee has signed the ordinance, which was cleared by the Union Cabinet on May 20, to partially overturn a Supreme Court verdict which said all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under NEET.
The President had earlier sought more information and clarification on few points from the Union Health Ministry over the decision to bring an ordinance on NEET.
Nadda had yesterday met President Mukherjee to answer his questions on the need for urgency in issuing the executive order, which bypassed the Supreme Court's ruling last month that NEET will be held across India.
Over 15 states were opposed to NEET and had raised concerns like different syllabus and languages during the recent State Health Ministers' meeting with Nadda.\
The state governments strongly objected and asked the court to review its order, saying such an exam would place regional language students at a disadvantage.
Nadda had, however, earlier said the Centre was committed to implementing the NEET as per the apex court's order, but was also looking for ways to accommodate the concerns of the states.

Copy of Gazette notification