Why can't NEET be scrapped, Madras HC asks Centre

The court said while the Central government is reversing various schemes brought in by the earlier government, why it could not reverse the decision on the medical entrance exam or NEET.
The court asked how poor students can get admission as only the moneyed class can clear NEET. (Photo | EPS)
The court asked how poor students can get admission as only the moneyed class can clear NEET. (Photo | EPS)

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday urged the Central government to take note that NEET-based admission for medical courses is putting the rural students in a disadvantageous position. Referring to the numbers submitted by the Central government on medical admissions, the court observed that the national-level common exam is treating unequals equally.

Following a query raised by the bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and P Velmurugan as to how many students wrote the NEET for the first time and got admission last week, the central government counsel informed the judges today that in government colleges it was only 1,040, whereas the number of candidates who appeared multiple times and got admission are 2,041.

Similarly, when self- financing colleges were considered, only 588 students had got admission in their first attempt itself, whereas the number of students, who had got admission in more than one attempt, was 1,062. The first-timers have to prepare for the +2 examination as well as for the NEET examination simultaneously, whereas the students who had already completed their +2 examination could fairly devote their time for preparing exclusively for the NEET examination, the judges pointed out adding that the unequals had been treated equally in the NEET and the results would speak for themselves. This fact should be taken note of by the Central government, the judges said.

With regard to another query regarding the number of students who got admission without undergoing coaching classes, the government counsel submitted that only 48 students had got medical seats without
undergoing any coaching classes, whereas 3,033 students who underwent coaching classes had been admitted in the government colleges.

Similarly, when considering self-financing colleges, only 52 students had got seats without undergoing any coaching classes, whereas 1,598 students had got medical seats after undergoing coaching classes.

"It is shocking to note that only negligible candidates have got admission without undergoing coaching. That means medical education is not available to the poor people and it is available only to those who
underwent coaching classes by spending lakhs and lakhs of rupees. Moreover, this will also put the rural students in a disadvantageous position, as they lack facilities of undergoing coaching. It should also be taken note of by the Central Government, which brought the Rules and Regulations or amendment for conducting NEET," the judges added.

Directing the Central government and the Medical Council of India to verify as to whether they have received any complaint or whether any malpractice has been done for getting medical seats in other States,
the bench posted the PIL petition from one  K Dheeran of Coimbatore praying for a directive to the government to undertake proper counseling and mop-up procedure to fill-up 207 management quota seats
available due to non-filling of NRI quota seats, for November 7.

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