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  India   NEET today, Supreme Court refuses plea hearing

NEET today, Supreme Court refuses plea hearing

Published : May 1, 2016, 1:41 am IST
Updated : May 1, 2016, 1:41 am IST

The Supreme Court on Saturday refused to entertain requests from a batch of students seeking cancellation of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), to be held on May 1.

The Supreme Court on Saturday refused to entertain requests from a batch of students seeking cancellation of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), to be held on May 1. The court permitted the exam to go on as scheduled.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justices R. Banumathi and Uday Lalit had assembled on Saturday for a special sitting to hear the Delhi air pollution case. Soon after the Bench assembled, a mention was made by several lawyers on behalf of students seeking postponement/cancellation of the NEET-1 exam on Sunday on the ground that some more time was required for students to prepare for the test.

The CJI, however, told the counsel, “Please allow the examination to be conducted as scheduled. Nothing will happen in the meantime. The matter has been heard by a Bench (headed by Justice Anil R. Dave) and it is over for now. You file application and it will be considered by that bench (on May 3.).”

On April 29, the Centre through additional solicitor-general Pinky Anand was firm on holding the test in two phases and the Centre brushed aside all the objections and said the state exams stood cancelled in view of NEET-1.

However, on Friday the Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi in a U-turn had told the bench of Justice Dave that holding the test on May 1 will cause serious difficulties for students particularly in the South as the test is being conducted only in English and Hindi and not in vernacular languages.

Sources told this newspaper that the change of stand by the A-G was a sequel to various requests received from the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala seeking the Centre’s intervention to stop the test. A senior NDA minister had told the A-G that since the Assembly elections are to be held in these two States on May 16, any order thrusting the test on the students will affect the chances of BJP in the elections.

The A-G argued that it would lead to serious confusion among lakhs of students aspiring to enter the medical profession. He said, “Let the states conduct their own exams, this order (NEET) can be implemented from next year.”

The AG’s submission with an eye on elections had the support of the Bench initially, which indicated that it would allow the request by exercising its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution.

Justice Dave responded saying “yes we understand it involves the careers of next generation of doctors. We can allow the exam of the States to go on.” Though it was expected that the court will modify its order in the evening, Justice Dave orally told the counsel that the bench will meet again on May 3 and in the meanwhile the NEET-1 or any State exam can go on. It remains to be seen whether the five-judge Constitution bench modifies the earlier order on May 3.

Location: India, Delhi, New Delhi