Those who took NEET-1 can’t take NEET-2: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday clarified that no examination shall be permitted to be held for admission to MBBS or BDS by any private college or association or any priv-ate/deemed university.

A three-judge bench of Justices Anil R. Dave, Shiva Kirti Singh and A.K. Goel said the issue with regard to those students who had appeared or who are due to appear in examinations conducted by the states in accordance with their state laws shall be decided after hearing solicitor-general Ranjit Kumar on May 9.

The bench also said that those students who had appeared for NEET Phase-I shall not be permitted to appear in NEET Phase-II but those who could not appear for NEET Phase-I may appear in NEET Phase-II, to be held on July 24.

The court is expected to allow Tamil Nadu to admit students on the basis of marks in the higher secondary exam and students of Andhra, Telangana, Kerala, Maharashtra and Gujarat to admit students on the basis of CET held by them.

Senior counsel Rajeen Dhavan submitted to the court that if private colleges are not allowed to make admissions through their own CET or through association of private medical colleges, then they are not obliged to surrender 50 per cent of their seats to the government quota.

Earlier, the SG informed the court that the Government of India has convened a meeting this weekend with all the stakeholders to resolve the issue. He said he will inform the court on Monday on the outcome of the meeting.

Additional solicitor-general Pinky Anand, appearing for CBSE, said if all students are given a second chance to take the July 24 exam, around 9.50 lakh will take the test. But if only 40,000 students who did not write NEET-1 are allowed, around 2.50 lakh students will appear for NEET-2. Considering the logistics and availability of centres, only 40,000 students should be given a second chance, she said.

Senior counsel Vikas Singh, appearing for Medical Council of India in a written note said for this year as a special case the States who are having their own competitive exams be permitted to take admission on that basis. Since the law passed by Tamil Nadu (abolishing entrance test) had received Presidential assent in 2007, the MCI Regualtion on NEEt will not overide this legislation. He said the candidates who took NEET-1 should not be permitted to take NEET-2 and if at all, candidates who have not taken NEET-1 can be considered for NEET-1.

The MCI made it clear that no other examination by any other authority would entitle any student to get admission into any medical college except the exam conducted by AIIMS and PGIMR and the States who have a competitive exam of their own only for this year. Banks will consider financing poor students without any collateral security for payment of their fees in private colleges so that the poor but meritorious students are able to join private colleges of their choice.