edited by: Damini Solanki
Last Update: March 18, 2023, 15:49 IST
The minister’s response also clarifies that there is no plan to conduct NEET UG twice a year (Representational image)
Minister of State (MoS) for Health and Family Welfare Bharti Praveen Pawar shared this in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha
The National Testing Agency (NTA) and the National Medical Commission (NMC) have no plans to conduct the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduates (NEET-UG) twice a year. Minister of State (MoS) for Health and Family Welfare Bharti Praveen Pawar shared this in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. MP Ramesh Chand Bind had raised several questions regarding the entrance exam, including whether the government is considering conducting the NEET UG exam twice a year like the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main.
Bind asked whether NEET-UG would be conducted twice a year “to save NEET aspirants from stress and depression just to crack the tough competition in one go or lose a precious year.”
In his reply, the minister said that NEET, as mandated by section 14 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019, has already reduced the burden on prospective students of “appearing in multiple entrance examinations”. He also emphasized that the exam provides a fair and equal opportunity to all candidates seeking admission to medical courses across the country.
“NEET is a historic reform promoting meritocracy and providing an opportunity to meritorious students to get admission in the best medical institutions of the country. This has curbed malpractices in medical admissions. [and] More transparency,” the written reply said.
It is also clear from the minister’s response that there is no plan to conduct NEET UG twice a year. “National Medical Commission (NMC) and National Testing Agency (NTA) have informed that there is no proposal to conduct NEET UG examination to provide two opportunities in a year.”
Bind questioned the government on its plans to organize JEE (Mains) and NEET-UG or other similar competitive exams through a single exam. It was not mentioned directly in the answer.
However, news agency PTI had earlier quoted University Grants Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar as saying that it would announce plans to merge CUET-UG with entrance exams like NEET and JEE at least two years before its implementation. This points to the possibility of such steps being taken in the future.
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