Representational imageThe Supreme Court order to make the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) the single entrance exam for admission to MBBS and BDS courses across the country from this year itself has shattered the hopes of tens of thousands of teenagers who wrote the Kerala Medical Entrance Exam last Thursday.
A common entrance exam has many benefits. It would relieve the students of the difficulties of preparing for five or six entrance exams and it would minimise corruption in this sector but the impact of any such decision on the people has to be studied. Have the CBSE and the Medical Council done an objective study on the need to change the existing system, before presenting their case before the Supreme Court? The state government should immediately address our students’ misery. It may consider the following arguments while moving the Supreme Court:
1. The state government notified and conducted the medical entrance exam as the court had not barred it. By conducting such an exam, the government has an obligation to allot MBBS and BDS seats to the higher rank holders. The government cannot run away from this obligation.
2. There were no orders from the Medical Council, Central Government or any of the courts declaring the state medical entrance exams as invalid. Denying the top rankers admission is therefore a violation of natural justice.
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3. The effort and time spent by students who dedicated one year only for the state entrance preparation cannot be ignored.
4. The top rankers in the state entrance exam might question the denial of seats. Their demand is reasonable.
5. Students have prepared for the Kerala Medical Entrance exam because it could ensure them of admission. Any competitive exam requires its own style of preparation. Students appearing for the Kerala entrance should answer 120 questions in 150 minutes which means they have approximately 1.25 minutes to answer one question. National Entrance exam comprises of 180 questions which are to be answered in 180 minutes. Students who have prepared to answer a question in 1.25 minutes will not be able to give their best when they have to do the same in 1 minute. How can a 5000 metre runner perform if he is asked to take part in the 100 metre sprint the next day? These exams test not only the students’ knowledge but their skill, speed and confidence as well. How can the students who spend two years preparing for a Kerala model test prepare for the national exam on July 24?
6. As per the order, NEET 1 should be conducted on May 1 and NEET 2 on July 24. Students who were preparing for the All India Pre-Medical Test would find this exam easy while the ones who had been preparing solely for the Kerala entrance would be relegated for no fault of theirs.
7. Question papers for the two NEET exams are different. The ranks will be fixed after standardising the marks from both the exams. There may still be complaints.
8. According to the current time-frame, the results are expected to be announced on August 17. However, the rule says admissions to MBBS and BDS should be closed before September 30. Is this feasible within 44 days as the rank lists for the Centre and states have to be prepared and several rounds of counselling have to be conducted.
The court’s assurance to hear out the complaints may be considered a last straw. The government should address the problems faced by the desperate students.
