Centre’s decision to select students to medical courses from 2017-2018 academic year on the basis of NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) will assure selection of meritorious and able students for medical courses. The system also prevents private medical colleges from collecting hefty capitation fees and donations from aspirants of medical courses. The Supreme Court in August 2016 paved the way for National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) this year for admission into medical colleges. The Apex Court at that time had directed the Centre and CBSE to go ahead and conduct two-phase single common entrance test for MBBS, BDS and PG courses through the NEET. The Court had turned down plea of state governments and private colleges that NEET cannot be imposed on them. The Supreme Court had said that multiple tests must give way to the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) for the current (2016-17) session itself. NEET, which was declared illegal and unconstitutional by SC in 2013, was restored on 11th April after a five-Judge Constitution bench recalled the earlier verdict and allowed the Centre and the Medical Council of India (MCI) to implement the common entrance test till the Court decides afresh on its validity. The Apex Court directed the Centre, MCI and CBSE to sit together and frame a time-schedule for conducting NEET. Because of the constant policy changes in education it has become really muddy and foggy for the students. Changes should be brought in step by step manner. Lakhs of students appear for various medical entrance examinations in more than 400 colleges and there are more than 52,000 seats available for MBBS courses. After the scrapping of NEET, states and private colleges have been conducting exams separately for the last three years.
