A petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Monday seeking a review of its judgement scrapping the single common entrance test (NEET) for admissions to MBBS, BDS and post-graduate courses in all medical colleges.
The plea filed by ‘Sankalp’, a non-governmental organisation, through lawyer Prashant Bhushan, has sought a review of the July 18 majority (2-1) verdict of the apex court that had quashed the notifications for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) on the ground that it violated the rights of state and private institutions to administer such institutions.
Seeking the review on the grounds including that of rampant corruption in the absence of NEET, the plea said the verdict also needed to be re-looked as there was “no discussion at all among the judges before delivering it, which is apparent from the minority judgement itself.”
“In fact, in the very second para of the judgement, it has been observed ‘as the learned Chief Justice is to retire within a few days, I have to be quick and therefore, also short. Prior to preparation of our draft judgements, we had no discussion on the subject due to paucity of time...’ it is respectfully submitted that this observation in the minority judgement makes it all the more necessary that the aforesaid judgement is reviewed,” it said.
The judgement quashing the NEET was delivered by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir (now retired) by a 2-1 division.
The view of the then CJI was shared by Justice Vikramjit Sen, while Justice A.R. Dave had dissented and upheld the NEET saying the policy was “legal” as it would stop corrupt practice which enabled undeserving students to get admissions by paying huge capitation fees or donations.
“In fact, one of the main considerations of having one common entrance test conducted by Medical Council of India is to check the malaise of money-making business in the admission process by selling their seats for crores, which has been going on for last so many years in private colleges,” it said.
