Mumbai: Students, parents march against partial roll back of NEET

On Sunday, a crowd of city's medical aspirants along with their parents headed a peaceful candle march, from Otters Club gate to CCD in Bandra, protesting against the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET) ordinance, a partial roll back of NEET exam, according to which, MHT-CET is applicable only for the state government-aided colleges.

The parents showed their disappointment to the current NEET ordinance approved by the president, Pranab Mukherjee on May 24, 2016, which aimed at "partially" overturning the Supreme Court's order. Out of 6,205 seats in Maharashtra, only 2,810 seats are in government colleges and admissions to these will be done through MHT-CET scores. Many students who haven't scored well in Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET) examination are now completely despondent as the admission to private medical colleges will be based upon the marks they have scored in NEET.

Many parents gathered to urge the government about the same, as they see that the ordinance is being unjust to their children. They demanded that MHT-CET must be considered as only one way door to get in to private as well as government colleges this year.

Parents feel that their voice has been half heard by the government despite pleas made at different levels and to the apex court. The medical aspirants are still deprived of their right to get admission in the private medical colleges of the state through single window exam MHT-CET alongside NEET. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray has called these disappointed parents for a meeting at his office on Monday at 11am to discuss the issue.

"It's unfair! Of the 2,810 seats in state, only 1,100 seats are available for the general category in government medical colleges. Where will the rest of the students go? MHT-CET should be considered for all the state medical colleges other than deemed colleges which has their own entrance exams altogether," said Anagha Patil, a parent.

"MHT-CET must be accepted with its norm. Don't treat our children like robots and stick to what was promised while filling the CET forms," said Ruhi Kapoor, an active member of the protest.

Priya Shah, another parent, said, "though our children have started preparing for NEET phase-II, it's impossible to complete such a vast new syllabus within 2 months. We are happy with the ordinance which is being implemented, but the condition which is imposed is a turning point and has left little scope for change. We will still strive hard so that the our kids would not face anxiety and stress."