Odisha: NEET candidates face counselling confusion

Bhubaneshwar: The NEET-2016 results are out but there is confusion rampant on who will conduct the counselling of successful candidates . The counselling issue stands divided between deemed universities and the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination Committee. The latter conducts counseling of government medical colleges and private colleges affiliated to state universities.

"We are carefully examining the Supreme Court order and the Ordinance pertaining to NEET. After reconciling all facts available, we will take a decision by ensuring we don't make any mistake. We are not in a hurry since we have got three to four more days to announce the admission time line," said Amit Banerjee, Vice Chancellor, SOA ( Deemed University) told TOI.

According to Amit Banerjee, they would not take any decision in a hurry and most importantly without consulting the central government.

A senior government officer said though the court directive was firm on admissions through NEET to medical institutions, there was no direction, as far as the counselling process was concerned. There is a possibility of deemed universities becoming part of centralised counselling by Odisha Joint Entrance Examination Committee, following a Union Health Ministry notification, dated August 9.

"It is decided that the state/UT governments may preferably go for combined counselling for admission to MBBS/BDS courses in all medical/dental colleges including deemed universities," stated a the letter issued by Amit Biswas, Under Secretary, Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, to state/UT Health Secretaries.