The MCI proposal for a “single common national entrance” examination was sent to the Health Ministry on June 24, pointing out that Supreme Court rulings have mandated a common entrance test. The MCI wants a common admission criterion to be adopted across the country. In its proposal, the MCI has said that the examination should be conducted by a national regulatory authority.

At present, some government colleges reserve 15 per cent seats for students from across the country and the remaining 85 per cent seats are filled by students from that particular state on the basis of a merit list.

The MCI wants a common examination on the lines of the All-India test conducted by the Government of India for government-run medical colleges in states for the pooled 15 per cent seats.

The proposal, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, states:

• There should be only one entrance exam for admission to MBBS course by all institutes across the country, which should be held in English and all scheduled languages.

• The Government should identify an authority for conducting the examination.

• The structuring should be such that it should be evaluated by a computerized mechanism to avoid manual/human interference.

• Admission to all MBBS courses in all medical institutes should be strictly made on the basis of inter se merit of the relevant applicant in the common entrance examination.

• A mechanism be evolved where a list of all students eligible in different states can be segregated from the total list of all eligible candidates. This could be used by state authorities to admit students eligible as per the admission criteria in respective state institutes.

• In institutes of All-India character including deemed universities, institutes owned and managed by the Central government, state governments, universities, local self government trusts/charitable societies and all other organizations, admissions will be based on merit obtained at the competitive national common entrance examination.