MPs demand NEET be held in regional languages

New Delhi

Sharing the concern of members, government assured the House that it would try to convince the Supreme Court that more time is needed to switch over to the new system.

Last month, the apex court had asked the Centre and CBSE to conduct a single common entrance test for admission to MBBS and BDS  courses through National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET).

The court had also rejected the pleas of the state governments, private institutions and minority institutions for allowing conduct of separate entrance tests.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, members urged the government to take necessary steps to address the issue and suggested that an ordinance could also be brought in this regard. Responding to the pleas made by the members, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the government in principle is in favour of having common joint entrance test.

“We will convey to the court that children need more time... We will reiterate and try to convince the court,” Naidu said, adding that some state governments have also approached the court in this regard. It is a serious issue and the court should appreciate it, he added.

According to him, there are two views about common entrance examination as some private institutions and state governments are conducting their own tests. Some malpractices have also been alleged, he noted.

Meanwhile, the Centre has approached the Supreme Court seeking permission to hold entrance examination for MBBS and BDS for the academic year 2016-17 in six regional languages. Congress member Rajeev Satav urged the government to address the issue immediately either by bringing an ordinance or going back to the Supreme Court.

He also took a swipe at the Centre, saying there might have been some shortcomings in the submissions made by it before the apex court.

Test will destroy careers: DMK MP

Insisting that NEET would destroy careers of students of state boards, a DMK member on Wednesday demanded in the Rajya Sabha an Act to set aside the Supreme Court order on the common entrance examination for admission to medical and dental colleges in the country. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, K P Ramalingam (DMK) said it is a very important issue which will destroy career of students studying in regional languages and state boards across the country.  He said since the syllabus of NEET is based on CBSE, “It is totally unconstitutional and an attempt to surpass students, majority of whom are from rural areas and different educational background.”