The Supreme Court on Friday embarrassed the Union government and Medical Council of India (MCI) by forcing them to withdraw their pleas for one-year deferment of the first-ever National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2012, a single examination for MBBS and dental undergraduate seats in all medical colleges in the country.
While MCI’s counsel, senior advocate Amarendra Saran, was quick to sense the mood of the court to immediately agree for an unconditional withdrawal of the regulatory body’s application, additional solicitor general Harin Raval, while agreeing to withdraw the plea by the ministry of health and family welfare, wanted recording of his statement that the government would take appropriate steps in this regard.
This made a bench of Justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad recall that the common entrance test was formulated on the joint request of the MCI and the health ministry.
“All these orders were passed after hearing you and you alone. The regulations have been framed by the MCI stipulating that NEET would be held from the academic year 2012-13 onwards. We will not be a party to the postponement of these regulations. If the government and the regulator want to withdraw the regulations, let them do that,” the bench said.
Raval persisted with his request, “I want to withdraw the application but please record my statement that the government will take appropriate steps.”
The bench shot back, “We will not record a word of it. Either you withdraw the application or we reject it. If you have other methods open to you for postponement of NEET, you are free to do that.” It went on to order dismissal of the ministry’s application but on Raval’s request, changed the order and recorded the permission to withdraw it.
The Union government had moved the application for deferment of NEET 2012 by one year following objections by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and other states. The test is scheduled to be held on May 13, 2012.
One of the major reasons for the Centre moving the application was the Trinamool government’s insistence on West Bengal students being given the option of answering the test in Bengali language and some other states either seeking exemption or deferment.
It had said, “The chief minister of West Bengal has expressed preference to continue with the Joint Entrance Examination Board for all colleges in West Bengal. However, the state would be ready to join NEET for undergraduate courses only if it is assured that Bengali language would be one of the medium for the said examination.”
The chief ministers of Maharashtra, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka requested the health minister for exemption from NEET 2012 on the ground that students would require some more time to switch over to the new system and get fully acquainted with the syllabus prescribed by MCI. Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa showed readiness to join NEET from 2013-14 but AP sought exemption for two years, saying it would join from 2014-15, the health ministry had said.
Given the myriad reasons for states not preferring NEET 2012, the health ministry said, “The government of India is of the strong view that instead of hurriedly implementing NEET from academic year 2012, it would be in the fitness of things if the same is introduced in a more planned manner from the academic year 2013-14 onwards.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-raps-govt-MCI-on-deferring-medical-entrance-test-NEET/articleshow/11138555.cms
While MCI’s counsel, senior advocate Amarendra Saran, was quick to sense the mood of the court to immediately agree for an unconditional withdrawal of the regulatory body’s application, additional solicitor general Harin Raval, while agreeing to withdraw the plea by the ministry of health and family welfare, wanted recording of his statement that the government would take appropriate steps in this regard.
This made a bench of Justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad recall that the common entrance test was formulated on the joint request of the MCI and the health ministry.
“All these orders were passed after hearing you and you alone. The regulations have been framed by the MCI stipulating that NEET would be held from the academic year 2012-13 onwards. We will not be a party to the postponement of these regulations. If the government and the regulator want to withdraw the regulations, let them do that,” the bench said.
Raval persisted with his request, “I want to withdraw the application but please record my statement that the government will take appropriate steps.”
The bench shot back, “We will not record a word of it. Either you withdraw the application or we reject it. If you have other methods open to you for postponement of NEET, you are free to do that.” It went on to order dismissal of the ministry’s application but on Raval’s request, changed the order and recorded the permission to withdraw it.
The Union government had moved the application for deferment of NEET 2012 by one year following objections by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and other states. The test is scheduled to be held on May 13, 2012.
One of the major reasons for the Centre moving the application was the Trinamool government’s insistence on West Bengal students being given the option of answering the test in Bengali language and some other states either seeking exemption or deferment.
It had said, “The chief minister of West Bengal has expressed preference to continue with the Joint Entrance Examination Board for all colleges in West Bengal. However, the state would be ready to join NEET for undergraduate courses only if it is assured that Bengali language would be one of the medium for the said examination.”
The chief ministers of Maharashtra, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka requested the health minister for exemption from NEET 2012 on the ground that students would require some more time to switch over to the new system and get fully acquainted with the syllabus prescribed by MCI. Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa showed readiness to join NEET from 2013-14 but AP sought exemption for two years, saying it would join from 2014-15, the health ministry had said.
Given the myriad reasons for states not preferring NEET 2012, the health ministry said, “The government of India is of the strong view that instead of hurriedly implementing NEET from academic year 2012, it would be in the fitness of things if the same is introduced in a more planned manner from the academic year 2013-14 onwards.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-raps-govt-MCI-on-deferring-medical-entrance-test-NEET/articleshow/11138555.cms
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