PANJIM: As the State government has decided to move an interlocutory application before the Supreme Court (SC) to grant relief to hundreds of students seeking admission to MBBS and dentistry courses on Monday, eligible candidates are left with no option but to appear for National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) scheduled on Sunday.
Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), that conducts the annual Goa Common Entrance Exams (GCET) for admissions to various professional degree courses, has stated that nothing stops these students from appearing for the State-level entrance tests too.
Left with no time to prepare for the NEET, students and parents had expressed their concern to Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar urging his intervention.
“Since the court is closed on Saturday-Sunday, the State will file IA in the SC on Monday. We will request the court that parity should be given to our students and another chance to appear for NEET on July 24,” Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni told Herald.
The apex court on Thursday upheld that a single common entrance test for admission to MBBS and BDS courses for 2016-17 academic year, will be held as per schedule on May 1, and the second phase on July 24. The Centre’s plea seeking postponement was rejected despite conveying the concern on behalf of students that they lacked preparation time as the syllabi for the Central Board of Secondary Education and the state boards are different.
Earlier on Friday, Goa government resolved to intervene in the petition seeking extending the examination in the interest of students.
“CM this morning (Friday) issued directions to AG to direct standing council of the lawyers representing Goa to place Goa government’s position in Supreme Court on the demands of Goan students and also how its decision will impact interests of several hundred candidates. Accordingly, council will have to decide whether to file intervention plea or SLP,” Health Minister Francis D’Souza had told Herald.
Meanwhile, DTE has begun issuing GCET admission cards for the exam slated on May 10 and 11. A senior official said students seeking admission to MBBS and dentistry are open to answer the State exams. “The State is moving the SC on Monday. Let students not take a chance and appear for GCET too,” he said. Some 5600 students have applied for the exams.
National Students Union of India (NSUI) has applauded the government’s decision to intervene in the matter. “We want that GCET be held this year and NEET from the coming year because syllabus for the State entrance exams comprises of Class 12th but for NEET, students have to study both Class 11th and 12th syllabus,” NSUI national delegate and final year MBBS student Gaurav Jha said.
The All India Congress Committee on the other hand blamed the Centre for the mess claiming that SC’s order was based on dates proposed by the Narendra Modi-led government. “We are not opposed to NEET, but definitely not which is held with 72 hrs notice. This test is giving full advantage to CBSC students and making other students suffer unnecessarily,” AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar said, urging Goa government to get July 24 for NEET exam.
