States’ views sought on common medical entrance test

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Friday sought the response of all the states, union territories and associations of private medical colleges on a petition by the Medical Council of India (MCI) seeking to enforce Common Entrance Test (CET) for admission to MBBS and post-graduate medical courses across the country.

A bench of Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice H.L. Gokhale issued the notices, returnable in four weeks, on an application by the MCI that said that CET for MBBS and post-graduate medical courses would provide a single eligibility-cum-entrance examination.

As the MCI moved the court, Justice Raveendran asked if the proposed move was for government medical colleges. MCI’s counsel Amarinder Saran told that court it would also include private medical colleges.

He told the court that the object of the new draft regulations for admission to undergraduate and post graduate medical courses was to free the medical students from the hassles of appearing in 14 to 15 different entrance examinations being held by different agencies including the Association of Private Medical Colleges.

The CET would obviate the difficulties being faced by the students of taking so many tests, Saran said.

At this, the court asked Saran if the proposed move by the MCI would not interfere with the rights of private medical colleges to have their own CET.

The court said that it would also bring in the question of the powers of the states and it would also involve the issue of domicile.

Saran said that the object of the proposed move was to prevent malpractices and irregularities that are taking place in admission to medical courses. This would also prevent the private medical colleges from manipulating the admissions.

Justice Raveendran said: “Your (MCI) intentions may be noble but the private medical colleges will have to be heard”.