lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a significant Bill to grant regulatory status to NEET examination bringing private institutions also under the ambit. Rajya Sabha also passed a Bill prohibiting employment to children below 14.
The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016 provides a Constitutional status to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) examination” which is intended to be introduced in the academic session next year. The Bill seeks to amend the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and the Dentists Act, 1948 and replace the Ordinances that were promulgated by the Government to circumvent the Supreme Court order for implementation of NEET examination this session itself.
Moving the Bill for consideration and passing, Health Minister JP Nadda said there were three main objectives behind the move — end the multiplicity of examinations, have fair and transparent examinations and adopt non-exploitative process. He said earlier students would have to travel long distances to appear for several medical entrance examinations.
Responding to apprehensions expressed by members, particularly Tamil Nadu where reservation is upto 85 per cent, he clarified, “We are not going to touch the State quota. Students in Tamil Nadu will be competing in Tamil Nadu only.. We should be very much clear about that.” However, AIADMK members were not satisfied and staged a walkout.
Rajya Sabha passed a Bill which prohibits employment of children below 14 years in all occupations or processes except where the child helps his family, with the provision for imprisonment up to two years for any violation. 'The Child labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill' makes employment of children below 14 years as cognizable offence for employers and provides for penalty for parents.
The Bill, which was almost unanimously passed by voice vote, defines children between 14-18 years as adolescents and lays down that they should not be employed in any hazardous occupations and processes.
In Rajya Sabha, government moved a bill on afforestation in the Upper House amid resistance by Opposition. In lok Sabha, a bill for brining Indian School of Mines in Dhanbad and six IITs to bring under the IIT Act with amendments. HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, who introduced the bill, in the statement of objects and reasons said the government has set up six new IITs as registered societies.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh also moved a bill to amend the Citizenship Act so that Hindus, Sikhs and other minorities of these nations could be granted citizenship even if they do not provide required documents. Introducing the bill in the lok Sabha, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said many persons of Indian origin of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have applied for citizenship but unable to provide proof of their Indian origin.