Rajya Sabha clears bills to put in place NEET

The Rajya Sabha passed by voice vote the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016, and the Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016, that provide for putting the NEET in place for admission to medical and dental courses across the country from next year.

The bills provide for a Constitutional status to the 'National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and seek to amend the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, and the Dentists Act, 1948.

Responding to a debate on the bills in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda said the whole exercise was aimed to stop multiplicity of examinations, to bring transparency to curb corruption and to stop exploitation of students.

He also assured the house that all concerns of the state governments and others had been taken into account and the amendments will help in saving medical students from various difficulties.

"As far as National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Examination Test (NEET) is concerned, it is aimed to stop multiplicity of examinations," he said, adding that now students will not go through many examinations.

The AIADMK, however, termed the move is "arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional".

Nadda, as he was replying to the debate on the bill, was stopped by AIADMK members who said their party do not support it.

The Lok Sabha has already passed the bills.