NEET: Health Minister JP Nadda meets President Pranab Mukherjee to explain why Union Cabinet took ordinance route

New Delhi: To explain the rationale behind taking the ordinance route to keep state boards out of the ambit of NEET for this year, Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday met President Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi.

After Nadda's ministry was asked by the President to explain the reasons for taking the ordinance route,  he held a meet with Mukherjee in the afternoon to offer clarifications.

Mukherjee is leaving for China on Tuesday.

Also, it was reported that President Pranab Mukherjee has sought legal advice on the ordinance to keep state boards out of the ambit of uniform medical entrance examination.

Moreover, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday had urged President Pranab Mukherjee not to sign the ordinance.

Kejriwal had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him not to bring any order against the Supreme Court ruling on NEET, saying the students had welcomed the decision as it discouraged well endowed parents from making 'donations' to get their children admitted into reputed private medical colleges.

Ordinance on NEET

The ordinance, cleared by the Union Cabinet on Friday, is aimed at "partially" overturning a Supreme Court verdict which said all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under NEET.

Clarifying that the exemption is only for the state government seats, official sources had said that state seats which are earmarked in the private medical colleges have also been exempted.

Different states earmark anywhere between 12-15 per cent seats in various private medical colleges for state quota so that students from one state can get seats in another state.

The remaining seats in such colleges are reserved for domicile students. After the promulgation of the ordinance, the remaining seats meant for domicile students will come under NEET.

More than 15 states were opposed to NEET and had raised issues like different syllabus and languages during the recent state health ministers' meeting.

NEET

Nearly 6.5 lakh students have already taken the medical entrance test in the first phase of NEET held on May 1.

Once the ordinance is issued, students of state government boards will not have to sit for NEET on July 24.

They, however, will have to become part of the uniform entrance exam from next academic session, the sources said.

The exam will be applicable for those applying for Central government and private medical colleges.

They contended the students affiliated to state boards will find it tough to appear for the uniform test as early as July and such students will be at a loss compared to those who from the central board.

The Supreme Court had ruled the students would have to appear for NEET from this academic session itself for admissions to medical and dental colleges across the country.

The next phase of the exam is scheduled for July 24.