AIPMT may be held in July or in 2 phases

In view of the Supreme Court order that asked the Centre, Medical Council of India and the CBSE to come with a schedule for holding the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical courses throughout the country for the academic year 2016-17, it is likely that either the All India Pre Medical test (AIPMT) may be postponed to July or be held in two phases.

Reliable sources disclosed that in the round of meetings held between the Centre, CBSE and MCI on Wednesday after the SC direction, experts were of the view to either postpone the exam to July instead of May or to have two sets of exam — the first AlPMT to be held (as announced) in May and for those who get left out — the second set may be held in July and then a combined result is given.

“The result has to come out by August and the admission process be completed by September. Viewing this, these are the options which will be put before the apex court,” sources said.

Earlier, counsel for MCI has submitted that it will not be possible to hold the NEET this year. However, a three-judge bench of Justices Anil R. Dave, A.K. Sikri and A.K. Goel, while entertaining a PIL from Sankal Charitable Trust, did not accept the submissions by MCI and asked the counsel to explore whether the NEET can be held this year in terms of Regulation of Medical Council of India (MCI) as per the judgment dated April 11, recalling the earlier order quashing NEET.

The petitioner contended that the respondent authorities are deliberately delaying their decision to conduct NEET, thereby making it logistically tough for conducting NEET for academic year 2016-2017.

It said in view of the judgment and orders passed by Constitution bench in above Review Petitions, path for holding of Common Entrance Examination for admission stood cleared and there is no impediment in holding Common Entrance Test for admission to Medical Colleges for current academic year, i.e. 2016-17.

The petitioner said it has done its research and found that as many as 90 entrance examinations are being held by private and government authorities separately. A student seeking admission in a medical college has to shell out lakhs of rupees in taking the examination, which includes the cost of buying applications, expenses on travel and lodging etc. It has also been widely noticed that the examinations are not conducted in a free and fair manner and admissions are granted to chosen few.