Single-test system gets nod for medical entrance
It is not often that the Supreme Court of India acknowledges its mistake in unambiguous terms in delivering a verdict, and this is perhaps because it does not often make such errors. Therefore, it must be lauded for having admitted that its order of July 2013, quashing a common entrance test for medical colleges across the country, had come without adequate discussion among members of the deciding three-judge Bench then. The apex court has further said that the Bench had not taken into consideration some binding precedents regarding the subject at hand. Correcting that position, a five-judge Bench on Monday recalled that ruling, paving the way for a single National-Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to medical and dental colleges. It may be kept in mind that the 2013 decision to strike down the single-test system (the verdict was delivered in a case involving Christian Medical College, Vellore) had been mired in controversy, with a dissenting judge then claiming that the order had been issued in a hurry and without consultation with the then Chief Justice of India who was due to retire soon. There had also been reports that the verdict had got leaked, possibly benefitting certain interested parties. The latest ruling sets right not just the wrong but also the perception that the wrong was thrust down the throat.
The only problem now is that, since the verdict has come just when medical colleges across the country are poised to conduct their entrance examinations, it could create some confusion, both in terms of preparation for a common test at short notice and in the preparation by student-aspirants. It remains to be seen how the issue gets tackled without disturbing the set schedule in a major way. Time before the authorities is short: With the court order in place, the Medical Council of India now writes to the Union Government and other stakeholders for the conduct of the common test. In all probability the common test will be set in motion from this year itself, though there is also the possibility that the existing system may be allowed to remain for the current year and the single-test could be applied from the following year on. But whatever is arrived at, the fact is that the single test is a boon to students preparing from admission to medical colleges in the country. There are three good reasons for this.
The first is that students do not have to prepare for various types of tests conducted by different institutions, since many aspirants tend to apply to more than one medical college. As any applicant will testify, this is a harrowing experience, since the examination papers have different patterns and the student has to grapple with them all for a medical course that is eventually common throughout the country. The second is that students do not have to end up paying multiple examination fees. This will come as a great relief especially to those students who are strained financially and often lose out because they are unable to apply to a number of institutions. Then there is the elimination of the necessity to fill multiple application forms having varying deadlines. The success of the single-test system will depend on implementation. The Medical Council of India and Government authorities must ensure that the process is flawless.