State governments can either conduct their own exams or opt for NEET

All private colleges will now come under the ambit of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), the Centre said on Tuesday. However, in a major relief to parents and students, while considering the state governments' concerns over state-level examinations already conducted in regional languages and different syllabi from All India Pre-Medical Test, the Centre has given state governments the option to either conduct their own exams or opt for NEET to fill undergraduate seats.

For PG courses though, the exam will be held under NEET for 2017-18 session in December this year. The declaration came after President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday gave his assent to the ordinance on NEET.

"NEET is being implemented from the current year itself for UG admissions in all private institutions in respect of their seats. The first phase was conducted on May 1 and the second phase shall be held on July 24. Only state government seats in government medical colleges and state government seats in private institutions will have exemption if the concerned state government so chooses in the current year," said JP Nadda, Union health minister.

"The management quota seats shall be filled by the respective private colleges, associations of colleges and/or private universities, deemed universities through the NEET UG-2016 examination only, in all the states even for this year. From next year, starting with PG examination in December 2016, NEET will fully apply without any exemption," he added.

"The states that have deferred the exams are West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Andhra Pradesh. PG exams in December 2016 will be a complete NEET," said Nadda.

"The states had not effectively put forth their views in the right perspective before the Supreme Court. In order to provide them relief, we brought this Ordinance," he said.

The medical fraternity has raised concerns over exorbitant fees expected to be charged by private colleges with the implementation of NEET. "As private colleges have hinted at an increase in fees, there has to be strict regulation in this regard on the state level and there should be a cap on fees in private colleges," said Dr AK Chandna, member, Dental Council of India (DCI).