punjab

Updated: Aug 02, 2016 12:40 IST

The latest notice of Ludhiana’s Christian Medical College (CMC) to fill its seats based on the joint merit of NEET and its own soon-to-be-held aptitude test has created a stir among candidates.

The candidates’ parents say the test will be illegal, when the Supreme Court has ordered all private colleges and the Centre, too, has directed them to fill the MBBS (bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery) and BDS (bachelor of dental science) seats based on score in the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET).

“Conducting a separate test and counting its merit for admission will violate the Supreme Court orders of May and defeat the very purpose of NEET. The state authorities should step in,” said a candidate’s parent, Rajinder Sangha of SAS Nagar. Of the college’s 75 MBBS seats, 50% are reserved for Christian minority, and it follows a similar quota system to fills the 40 BDS seats.

On July 27, the college told both general-category and minority candidates to appear for a mandatory aptitude test after signing up from August 5. Chandigarh-based PMT (PreMedical Test) trainer Arvind Goyal said the college planned to tweak the merit list. “A separate Bible test to fill minority students is understandable. Sikh candidates take a similar test at Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Das Medical College,” he said, “But where is NEET’s sanctity, if students have to prove their eligibility again.”

College registrar Dr George Koshy said the test was necessary. “The college mandate requires students to serve in rural areas after graduating. NEET is subject-based assessment, while our aptitude test will judge the candidates’ joint merit and overall personality for the doctor’s job,” he said. “It is not a violation of the Supreme Court orders, as we have introduced the test on the advice of our legal team.”