TN Chief Minister Karunanidhi protests against common MBBS test

The missive comes in the wake of MCI issuing a notification making the national eligibility-cum-entrance test (NEET) mandatory for admissions to all medical courses.

However,immediately after the notification became public,the Union Health Ministry asked the MCI to explain as to why the concurrence of Health Ministry was not taken. The Ministry has asked the MCI board to withdraw the notification forthwith.

MCI’s notification would mean that a single entrance exam would be held for MBBS and MD courses offered by all 271 medical colleges – 138 run by governments and 133 under private management.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said his government had already sent comments on the proposed entrance examination stating the step could be seen as interfering “with the rights of state Government in administering the education system” besides creating problems in the reservation policy followed in the state.

Karunanidhi informed Azad that it is pertinent to mention that in Tamil Nadu 50 per cent of the total post-graduate seats in all specialities is already given to the Centre and half of the remaining 50 per cent seats were reserved to service doctors to enable them serve in hilly areas.

“A confusing situation in the admission of students for the post-graduate courses would prevail in the country. This will also create problems in the reservation policy which varies from state to state in out country,” it said.