NEET Controversy: An overview Of The Entire Issue

All set for the entrance exam; and here you encounter the changed pattern.

Be it previous dilemma over engineering examination (JEE) or the recent National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) controversy, the students of India have always been looming in an oblivious state. Among 2 lakh students appearing for engineering entrance examination every year, only 5 per cent gets accommodated in the prestigious IITs and ISMs. Whereas, the success rate of medical aspirants accounts only upto 0.6 per cent of the total 6.3 lakh students taking exam every year.

The government has already played a crucial role in creating a fear of 'sudden-change-in-pattern' inside the minds of students, now the Supreme Court has also started contributing its bit to worsen the scenario.

Recently, lakhs of medical seat aspirants across the country have lodged their complaints and anger for not getting any clarity over the NEET, pre-medical entrance test, issue. Syllabus, pattern, examination dates and selection criteria are the grey areas creating confusion among the students.

The exam, which is set to be the single entrance examination for all medical colleges in the country, has been brought into existence by center and got acceptance by Supreme Court to safeguard the sanctity of medical profession and avoid corruption and irregularities in the admission processes. However, the decision has drawn serious criticism from academicians and lawmakers which has forced the government to admit its 'practical problems.'

After the schedule decided by the Centre, CBSE and the Medical Council of India (MCI) got approved by Supreme Court, the first phase of exam took place on May 1, 2016.

According to the order, the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) fixed for 1 May was treated as NEET-1. Since NEET will be held in two phases this year, students who had not applied for AIPMT will be able to appear in the second phase in July. A combined result will be declared on 17 August and the admission process is targeted to get completed by 30 September.

The idea is criticized throughout the nation because of the short notice period and its delivery of incomplete information. All the medical colleges, including deemed institution, are asked to enroll students on the basis of NEET. For instance, the institutions such as AIIMS are no more permitted to conduct private entrance tests.

The sudden change has invoked confusion among students, who were looking forward to appear for various medical entrance exams. Also, the idea to include only CBSE syllabus in NEET has made the preparation much more difficult for the students of other state boards.

M. Manik Reddy, Father of AP-Eamcet aspirant, in a conversation with Deccan Chronicle said that, "This step taken will favor students from central syllabi like CBSE and ICSE, which cover the NEET syllabus, while state boards lag behind."

The vision with which the concept is introduced might be a boon in standardizing the medical profession and eliminating the irregularities, but the decision to hold NEET this year is flawed and dangerous for the students' future. Time should be given to state boards to upgrade their syllabus for being in coherent with CBSE. Till then, the students should be allowed to appear with old pattern. Without proper planning and pragmatic approach, the decision taken to provide an equal ground of competition to the students, as claimed in its support, will be merely trapped in controversies and debate, like several others.