The Government of West Bengal has written to CBSE to reconsider its decision the upper age limit of the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) . In a letter written by Sushanta Bandopadhyay, Director of Medical Education, he requested the CBSE which is the NEET examination conducting body, to reconsider the age limit set for the candidates to be eligible to take the exam.
He urged CBSE not to disqualify the students without Aadhaar cards from taking the exam in 2017 and release individual state merit lists based on NEET score and domicile status, which CBSE has refused to entertain.
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An official of Sasthya Bhavan said that last year when the state government conducted the NEET exam for admissions into medical colleges, there was no upper age limit. Only the merit was the main criteria. There was no bar on the attempts a candidate can make. After the CBSE announced the change in criteria, the state protested against the same and also sought relief from making the Aadhaar card mandatory.
CBSE has also decided to provide only All India Rank (AIR) list after the declaration of NEET results. They will not publish any state wise list, leaving the state baffled. Individual states will have to make their own merit list from the AIR list for admitting students into 85% domicile seats, said an official of health department.
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If CBSE follows the same pattern as for postgraduate medical admissions, then the health department of the state will have to procure a new software and ask students with NEET scores to apply for medical seats in the state. On the basis of the data provided by the students and the subsequent confirmation from CBSE rank list, counselling process will be carried out through physical verification of candidate's documents etc., said another official.