Medical students to move court against GU’s entrance test decision

NEET,which is a common entrance test for admissions to post-graduate degree and diploma courses in medical and dental institutes across the country,was conducted between November and December 2012. Over 1,000 students from medical colleges affiliated to GU were among over one lakh students reported to have appeared for the NEET.

Under NEET,50 per cent PG seats are reserved for the students of the state where the colleges are located and the rest of the seats are under national quota. The new system was introduced to improve the standard of PG medical and dental education in the country.

However,some private college managements in Rajasthan,Maharashtra and some of the southern states challenged MCI’s decision in the Supreme Court. The apex court ordered MCI not to declare NEET results till final decision.

According to GU authorities,the apex court’s verdict was expected by the end of January 2013. But,there is no judgment in the case so far and the matter is still pending.

Pro vice-chancellor Dr Mukul Shah,when questioned over students opposing the university announcing to conduct PG admission tests,said the varsity had decided in favour of the students.

Shah explained that the last date for admission in PG courses was June 30 in all the medical colleges across the country and if SC’s verdict did not come at least two month’s prior to the last date,it would not be possible to complete PG admissions and there were chances of the university having zero academic session for PG classes in 2013-14.

This,he said,would jeopardise the career of students and the government hospitals associated with the medical colleges would also not get resident doctors,thus hitting the health services.

“That is why we have decided to conduct our own entrance tests,” said Dr Shah,adding,the apex court had not restrained from conducting entrance tests,but only asked not to declare results.

He said the university would wait for the SC verdict. “We will cancel our entrance tests if the apex court approves NEET. In case of delay,we will request the court to allow us to carry out admissions as was done previously so that students don’t suffer,” said Shah.

But one of the students leading the agitation and opposing the university decision,said it was not possible for students to prepare again at such a short notice for one of the toughest examinations. “We prepared for over nine months to appear for the NEET and now we are being asked to take another exam,” said the student.

PIL against railway line by APSEZ rejected

The Gujarat High Court Friday dismissed a public interest litigation (IPL) that was objecting to a railway line that was being laid down by Adani Port & Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) at Mundra in Kutch.

The PIL was moved by the sarpanch of Luni village near Mundra. The court dismissed their PIL while holding that the grievances ventilated by the petitioners could not be considered as public interest litigation.

The petitioners had contended that the authorities of APSEZ had been laying a 77-km long railway line in the region which had disturbed the natural flow of a river in the region.

They also contended that the APSEZ authorities had built parallel walls on either side of the railway track and it has divided the villages into two parts.

The petitioners demanded that wherever the railway line had disturbed the natural course of the river,there should a bridge and that the parallel walls on either side of the railway track be removed. They also demanded a direction to the development commissioner to find out if the railway line was laid as per the rules.