New Delhi: The Government has decided not to
hold the common PG medical entrance test next year as proposed earlier, citing lack of resources and expertise.
The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) for all
postgraduate medical seats across the country will now be held
only in 2013, given the lack of resources and expertise
required to conduct the examination on a national scale in
different medical streams.
"In view of lack of resources we have decided that the
test will now be held in 2013 and the National Board for
Examination (NBE) will be roped in to conduct the test. It
will by then strengthen its own resources and infrastructure. At present, it does not have the capabilty for holding the exam," Health Secretary PK Pradhan told reporters.
The test was earlier scheduled to be held in
January-February 2012 for admissions in the academic year
2012-2013 and the Medical Council of India had requested the
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to hold the
test on its behalf.
There are, in all, 21000 PG seats in the country at
present.
AIIMS has now, in writing, declined MCI's request citing
its infrastructural inability in conducting the proposed NEET
on such a large scale. At present, AIIMS conducts entrance
examinations for 50 per cent of the existing PG medical seats
in the country.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, October 19, 2011, 19:00