Vinod Tawde bats for CET in government colleges

Education minister Vinod Tawde on Tuesday clarified that admissions to private medical dental colleges in Maharashtra will not be given on the basis of the state CET (Common Entrance Test). The minister said that admissions for 2,810 seats in government colleges will be given through only the state CET, while admissions for 3,395 seats in private colleges will be done through NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test).

Clarifying the statement made by Union minister J.P. Nadda that government seats in private colleges will be filled through the state CET, Mr Tawde said, “In Maharashtra, there is no government quota in private colleges. Therefore, all seats in private colleges will be allotted on the NEET results. In states like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, there is a government quota in private colleges where state CET results will be applied. In Maharashtra, seats in private colleges were never filled on the basis of CET,” Mr Tawde said.

The Maharashtra minister further welcomed the Centre’s decision to allow state CET this year. “It will particularly benefit the students from rural areas because most of them study in the state board and there is a difference between the exam pattern of the state board and the CBSE, which is the basis of NEET.

Mr Tawde also criticised Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for backing NEET claiming that Mr Kejriwal was not in touch with the plight of the students from poor financial backgrounds. Mr Tawde said that the decision to have MH-CET scores for admission to government medical and dental colleges was a boon for state board students from rural areas and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was against the poor with their stand.

“AAP is against students appearing for the CET and want medical colleges to follow NEET. They have no contact with the poor and students from weak financial backgrounds and are thus making such statements,” said Mr Tawde. His reaction was based on Mr Kejriwal’s insistence on having admissions to medical courses based on NEET scores, as well as his suggestion to the President to not sign the ordinance that would make MH-CET scores valid for admissions in states that had already conducted the test.

“AAP has assumed that CET is used to fuel corrupt practices by colleges, but that is not true,” said Mr Tawde. He also took the opportunity to score brownie points over the Congress party and said that Congress leaders at the Centre and the state were confused over the issue and hence gave conflicting opinions.