A single common entrance test will now cover states like Jammu & Kashmir and Telangana which enjoy special category status to enroll into MBBS and BDS courses. This exam is given the name of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) by the government.
On Friday in a statement in Lok Sabha, Union health minister JP Nadda said that with the approval of central government, Medical Council of India (MCI) had notified NEET for admission to undergraduate (UG) and post-graduate (PG) medical courses by amending Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 1997, and Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, in 2010 for academic year 2012-13.
To conduct the examination for the academic year 2013-14, a revised notification was issued by the MCI in 2012. Though in 2013, Supreme Court rejected the proposal of NEET, Nadda said.
"The government and MCI filed a review petition before the apex court. The review petitions were heard by the five-judge bench of the court.
He said "Further, via order dated April 28, 2016, the SC has allowed conduct of NEET (UG) in two phases. NEET extends in the entire country including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Jammu & Kashmir for admission in UG and PG medical courses."
The Supreme Court in its order on Friday said the entrance test for admission to MBBS and BDS courses for the academic year 2016-17 will be held as per schedule through NEET on May 1 and July 24.