Confusion prevails among the aspirants of medical entrance examinations with the Supreme Court (SC) directing the Union Government to hold the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) for admissions in all government and private medical colleges for academic year 2016-17. The aspirants had submitted forms for different entrance examinations but all these examinations now stands cancelled and only the All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT) - now called NEET- would be held on May 1. To give reprieve to those who failed to apply for AIPMT, the SC has ruled that another examination on July 24 should be taken by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the examination conduction body.
The Registrar of HNB Uttarakhand Medical Education University (HNBUMEU), which was scheduled to organize the Uttarakhand Pre Medical Test (UPMT), Dr Vijay Juyal said that the university would refund the fees of the students once it receives the copy of the order. A total of 12248 students had appeared for the UPMT. The university had charged fees of Rs 2000 for candidates of general category while a fee of Rs 1400 was levied on candidates of reserved categories.
The Managing Director of Aviral Classes, D K Mishra said “There should be no confusion, now, one needs to give only and only NEET for admission in medical colleges.” He added that the students would get immense benefit from the common entrance test as it would save their time and money. Terming the decision as historic, Surendra Sharma, a resident of Nehru Colony said that the order would bring in much needed transparency in the whole system of admissions into the medical colleges. He said that the hegemony of the private medical colleges would be stopped by one examination and the practice of backdoor entries after charging hefty capitation fees would be checked.
