19 May,2016 07:33 AM IST | | Dharmendra Jore
Devendra Fadnavis says PM Modi has assured him of a solution to the NEET issue, and allow the state to hold its entrance test at least for this year
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of a solution to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical and dental admissions. The CM feels the state may be allowed to hold its entrance test at least this year.
Fadnavis, who met Modi on Wednesday to urge him to intervene in the matter following the Supreme Court's directive, told media persons that the PM was very positive in responding to his request.
As is widely speculated, the Centre will approach the apex court for seeking relief, and in case the court does not offer this, it could promulgate an ordinance to override the apex court's directive.
Fadnavis did not rule out the possibility of an ordinance. "It could be an ordinance or any other thing," he said in New Delhi.
The CM conveyed to the PM that compulsion of the NEET from this year would not allow Maharashtra students, especially its rural students, to get into medical and dental courses. "I told the PM that 80% of our students are from state board, and the syllabus of the NEET is totally different from our state board. I also told the PM that the time (two months) for preparing for the NEET was inadequate for our students," he said.
Fadnavis said he told the PM that Maharashtra's law on private and government medical colleges, which was passed recently, was sufficient for controlling malpractices that are adopted by private colleges for making profits in admission process. "The Supreme Court wants to curb profit-making in private colleges and our law too provides for the same purpose. I told the PM that Maharashtra was already working in the direction suggested by the Supreme Court," he said.
Fadnavis expects that Maharashtra would be allowed to hold its entrance test after the PM's intervention. "I told the PM that we must be allowed two-three years time to upgrade our syllabus to the level of NEET, and till then also be allowed to conduct our entrance exams."
"If not allowed two or three years, I'm confident that Maharashtra will be allowed its own entrance test at least for this academic year," said Fadnavis.
