Now, Centre says it's difficult to conduct NEET this year

Centre pleads with the same argument put forward by States and several medical colleges and refused by the apex court.

April 29, 2016 12:14 pm | Updated November 17, 2021 03:52 am IST - New Delhi

The Supreme Court has paved the way for a single medical entrance test for all colleges, including private colleges and deemed universities. File photo

The Supreme Court has paved the way for a single medical entrance test for all colleges, including private colleges and deemed universities. File photo

In a U-turn on the conduct of the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET), the Centre on Friday urgently mentioned in the Supreme Court that it will be “very difficult” to hold the common entrance exam for undergraduate medical and dental courses in several States this academic year.

Appearing before a bench led by Justice Anil R. Dave, Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi pleaded for a modification of the Bench’s order of April 28, 2016, giving the nod for conduct of NEET 2016-17 across all States.

Mr. Rohatgi submitted that entrance exams for the year in several States like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were in the offing or going on and a sudden change in the schedule and system would lead to confusion and more pressure on lakhs of students.

This was the same argument put forward by States and several medical colleges against the conduct of NEET this year and refused by the apex court.

Attorney-General Rohatgi said the government was "worried about the next generation of doctors" and presented a slew of suggestions for the court to mull over, incorporate and modify in its order. He suggested that the Supreme Court could scrap the May 1, 2016 NEET exam, allow State exams to go on and only allow the July 24, 2016 exam to be conducted, including in vernacular languages.

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