AMN
Union Health Minister J P Nadda today met President Pranab Mukherjee and explained the rationale behind taking the ordinance route to keep state boards out of the ambit of uniform medical exam – National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) for this year. Mr Nadda held a meeting with Mr Mukherjee to offer clarification after President sought explanations from Health Ministry about the reasons for taking the ordinance route.
The ordinance which was cleared by the Union Cabinet on Friday is aimed at partially overturning a Supreme Court order.
The Supreme Court had ruled the students would have to appear for NEET from this academic session itself for admissions to medical and dental colleges across the country. States had raised issues like different syllabus and languages during the recent State health ministers meeting in New Delhi. Once the ordinance is promulgated, students of state government boards will not have to sit for the next phase of NEET on 24th of July. The first phase of the test was held on 1st of this month.
Meanwhile, Congress has criticized the government for taking ordinance route for overturning the Supreme Court order on conducting NEET. In reply to a question,party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, the Congress has opposed the ordinance for various reasons.
He said,as per the law, the government can not nullify the Apex Court order and nullifying the judgement is an encroachment in the independence of the Judiciary.