Karnataka: NEET A long journey for aspirants

Bengaluru: For more than 50,000 aspiring medicos in the state, there are only four cities to choose from to write entrance exams!

Hence those appearing for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) on May 7 would have to undertake long journeys to reach the centres in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Belagavi and Kalaburagi.

The Union Government had recently made NEET mandatory for admission to MBBS and BDS courses and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is conducting the exam across the country.

For students this has come as a rude shock. "For thousands of students from cities such as Bidar, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Yadgiri, Davanagere, Chitradurga and Chikkamagaluru, it would be a one-night journey. Students need to spend several hundred rupees on the travel beside expenditure on food and accommodation.  It will create problems for those hailing from poor families," said an officer from the state medical education department.

"The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) was holding entrance examination even at taluka levels in many places to ensure that poor students do not face any hardship. Every year around 50,000 students from the state used to appear for the CET medical test. Now CBSE's decision to hold the examination in just four cities will create a lot of problems for majority of them," he explained.

Another officer from the state higher education department opined that "CBSE should have consulted the state government or KEA over holding examination. This decision will create problems for students hailing from poor families."