Expressing ‘concern’ over the recent Supreme Court judgment for common medical entrance test, MPs cutting across party lines in Parliament on Wednesday said it discriminates against candidates from rural and underprivileged background. The agitated members asked the Government to appeal against the verdict and conduct the examinations in regional languages.
Sharing the concern of members, the Government assured the lok Sabha that it would try to convince the Supreme Court for more time to switch over to the new system. The apex court had asked the Centre and CBSE to conduct a single common entrance test for admission to MBBS and BDS courses through National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET). The court had also rejected the pleas of the State Governments, private institutions and minority institutions for allowing conduct of separate entrance tests.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, members in the lower house urged the Government to take necessary steps to address the issue and suggested that an ordinance could also be brought in this regard.
Responding to their concern, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the Government in principle is in favour of having common joint entrance test. "We will convey to the court that children need more time... We will reiterate and try to convince the court," he said, adding that some State Governments have also approached the court in this regard.
Noting that it was a serious issue and the court should appreciate it, Naidu said there are two views about common entrance examination as some private institutions and State Governments are conducting their own tests. Some malpractices have also been alleged, he noted.
Congress member Rajeev Satav urged the Government to address the issue immediately either by bringing an ordinance or going back to the Supreme Court. He also claimed there might have been some shortcomings in the submissions made by the government before the apex court.
Tathagat Satpathy (BJD) backed Satav's contention while Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar (TMC) said how students from remote areas, who have been preparing for the exam in regional languages for years, can be asked to appear for the common test now.
Emphasising that the entrance test should be conducted in a transparent and merit-based manner, Mohammed Salim (CPI-M) said there should be "uniform and level playing field" for the students.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the common joint entrance examination should be deferred for this year.
Similar concerns were raised in the Rajya Sabha with K P Ramalingam (DMK) raising the issue and terming the Supreme Court verdict was against Constitution.
He said candidates passing out from State boards were put in a disadvantageous position after the verdict adding it was discrimination against those students. The entire house associated with the DMK member.
He said the verdict will "destroy" career of students studying in regional languages and State boards across the country. The DMK member also said the Tamil Nadu Government in 2007 had abolished entrance examination for medical courses through an Act. like Tamil Nadu, some other States too allow admission based on Class 12 marks, he added.