Holding NEET this year not possible: Maharashtra government tells MCI

A day after the apex court paved way for "one India one test" for medical and dental aspirants reverting to its own ruling in 2013 which had discontinued it, the Maharashtra government informed the Central government that holding the National Entrance and Eligibility Test (NEET) from this year is "not possible".

Citing shortage of time for such a big change in the entrance exam, the Medical Education department on Tuesday apprised the Centre and Medical Council of India (MCI) that holding the NEET would not be possible this year as state level entrance exam (CET) is scheduled only three weeks from now (May5). Over 1.5 lakh candidates are expected to take the exam for admission in medical and dental colleges across the state.

"While we understand that state has to follow SC decision dated April 11 and join the NEET, but conducting the exam from this year is not possible. We are holding CET on May 5 across the state for which preparations have already been done. However, depending upon Centre's decision, state is ready to join NEET from next year," state informed the centre and the MCI, as per a communique from education minister Vinod Tawde.

The state made its stand clear to MCI and Centre via telephone. The MCI has convened a meeting with all states on Wednesday to take a final call on the issue.

The MCI is apex medical education regulator and had supervised the NEET in 2012 and 2013 before it was scrapped by the SC. The interim decision of the SC doesn't talk about the year from which NEET should be conducted. Most states are in the process of conducting state level exams. Lakhs of candidates across India have prepared for their state exam as per the state syllabi.

The state has also argued that it was anyway not part of NEET in 2012 as it had sought relief from the court during the maiden year of the test. 2013 was the only year when Maharashtra candidates were admitted through NEET. After that, CET was conducted in 2014 and 2015.

The SC ruling has increased the stress level of medical aspirants due to looming uncertainty ahead of one the most crucial exam which will decide their career. Many candidates approached authorities and called up newspaper offices to find a clear answer.

Several candidates expressed their concern over frequent changes in the entrance exam for medical and dental courses. "This is painful as we spend two years preparing for the exam and the changes are brought at the last minute. Why can't there be a fixed education policy in India," ask an aspirant.

The directorate of medical eduction Maharashtra is conducting the CET this year which is common for engineering and health science courses both. More than five lakh candidates are set to take the exam.

Both sets of candidates would take a common paper of physics and chemistry. Health science aspirants have to take biology and engineering aspirants would take additional maths paper. A significant number of aspirants have applied for both the courses and would take all four papers.