BENGALURU: The Supreme Court has cleared the decks for holding the 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.
But this has caused a lot of confusion among those students who are already preparing for their CET, COMEDK and AIPMT exams in Karnataka.
While the state government is yet to make its stand clear on CET, the Karnataka Medical and Dental Colleges Association on Thursday stated that the COMEDK has been scrapped.
On Thursday, the SC bench comprising Justices A R Dave, Shiva Kirti Singh and A K Goel approved the schedule put before it by the Centre, CBSE and the Medical Council of India (MCI) for treating All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) fixed for May 1 as NEET-1. Those who have not applied for AIPMT can 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.
With this order, 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 conductedseparately stands scrapped.
This indicates that except for AIPMT and NEET, all other medical entrance exams stand void. However, the state government is yet to throw any light on the matter. State Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil said, “I am yet to go through the judgment.”
WHY TWO NEETS
NEET-1: For this academic session only, AIPMT will be treated as NEET-1 as students have already applied for it. Since it is scheduled for May 1, last-minute changes would be difficult for students who have prepared for it.
NEET-2: Those students who have not applied for AIPMT can take this examination.
Exam Schedule
NEET-1: May 1
NEET-2: July 24
Result: August 17
Admissions: September 30
“We need to look at the implications and what options we have as a state. In this regard I am having a meeting with the department officials on Saturday and based on the meeting outcome, we will go for a legal opinion.”
Meanwhile, anxious UG medical seat aspirants have approached the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) to know the status of the already scheduled CET. CET 2016 is scheduled to be held on May 4 and5.
KEA office has been flooded with calls from anxious students and parents.
While students are overall happy with the NEET move, they feel it has come too late. “This year we had already made up our minds and were preparing for various exams. It would have been better if it was implemented from next year,” said an aspirant.
Under the existing system, aspirants used to appear for over 90 entrance tests nationally, of which over 25 is held in Karnataka.
CBSE will provide all India rank and admitting authorities will invite applications for counselling and merit list shall be drawn based on the all India rank. The all India merit list and state-wise merit list of qualified candidates will be prepared on the basis of marks obtained
in NEET and students will be admitted to MBBS/BDS courses from the said list only by following the existing reservation policies.
Counselling and admission process will be conducted by KEA.
STATE OF SEATS
■ There are 7,045 MBBS seats in 50 colleges across Karnataka. This includes both government and management quota
■ 1.78 lakh candidates have registered for the CET
■ Last year, 2,862 medical seats offered during CET counselling