The Gujarat High Court dismissed a petition that challenged the rule mandating NEET for admission to Ayurveda and Homoeopathy courses from the academic year 2017-18. The court ruled out the petition on August 2, 2017.
The petition filed by some of the medical aspirants was dismissed by a division bench headed by Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy. These aspirants challenged the rules set for the Gujarat Professional Medical Educational Courses (Regulation of Admission) in 2017.
The court stated that it was admissible on the state’s part to make NEET compulsory for admission in BAMS (ayurveda) and BHMS (homoeopathy) courses. The court also added that it is right to set a minimum NEET score as provision for admission to these courses.
The petitioners argued that until 2016, aspirants seeking admission in BAMS or BHMS courses were required to score 50% marks in class 12 exams and clear the Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GUJCET).
The petitioners further added that they appeared for GUJCET instead of appearing for NEET as their goal was to take admission in the courses mentioned above and no other medical courses.
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After NEET being mandated for admission in BAMS and BHMS programmes, they will not be able to take admission in the session 2017, the petitioners added.
The state government countered this argument by stating that the students were notified about the changes in rules while they were in class 12.
The lawyer representing the state government said that a formal notice was issued by the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board on March 8, stating that GUJCET will be conducted only for students seeking admission in engineering and pharmacy courses.
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He also added that a news report was also published on February 10, stating that all admissions to medical (MBBS), homoeopathy, ayurveda, dental and naturopathy programmes will be done on the basis of NEET score.