The Jammu and Kashmir government is likely to invoke its special status to bypass the mandatory National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical courses, which attracted sharp reactions in the State.
Commissioner Secretary, Law, Muhammad Ashraf Mir, on Monday said the Supreme Court had accepted the State’s application seeking exemption from the NEET. The case would be heard on Tuesday.
Article 370“The State will invoke Articles 370 and 35 (A) to contest the application of NEET for medical courses,” said Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Haq Khan.
Recently, the apex court ruled that the NEET would be the only test held for admission to medical courses in the country.
However, the Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE), which conducts entrance tests, is now clueless whether to go ahead with the scheduled examination for local colleges in the second week of May.
Quota for girlsThe application of the NEET system in J&K is likely to bring an end to the 50 per cent reservation for girl students in professional examinations.
“The NEET extension to colleges within the State is not in our interest. There are adverse implications that the State government seems to have been completely unaware of,” said National Conference provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani, obliquely referring to the special status.
Concurrent listSources said J&K continued to have education under the State list than in the concurrent list. The Centre’s amendment, which brought education in the concurrent list for the rest of the country, has not been incorporated by the State.
Legislator Hakim Muhmmad Yasin described the application of the SC ruling in the State as “a direct attack on the credibility of Article 370.”
