Hyderabad: Apart from the students of open schools and private students, students who have not had two years continuous, regular study of Physics, Chemistry and Biology have also been deemed ineligible to appear for Neet (UG) 2018. Many aspirants have raised objections against this decision made by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
Members of the Telangana junior doctors’ association say that students should be allowed to write the exam even if they haven’t completed regular intermediate studies because they may have had to discontinue their studies because of an emergency or health problems. The latest CBSE-Neet notification reads, “Two years of regular and continuous study of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology taken together shall be required at the 10 +2 level for all candidates.”
Dr K. Mahesh Kumar, the president of the health reforms doctors’ association says, “It is ridiculous to have two years’ continuous study as a criterion for eligibility. What if someone got ill or met with an accident or had to take a break from their studies for personal reasons? What about the future of such aspirants who dreamt of becoming doctors? They cannot appear for Neet now.”
Dr G. Srinivas, the general secretary of the junior doctors’ association, says, “Aspirants with a gap in their 10 + 2 education should be considered if they are able to produce valid reasons and proof, such as a medical certificate or fitness certificate from the concerned authorities.”
Dr B. Karunakar Reddy, the Vice Chancellor of the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences, says, “In most cases, students don’t discontinue their studies. Most of those who do, do so permanently. How-ev-er, there are a few rare cases in which students have to temporarily discontinue due to valid reasons such as medical emergencies or personal issues. It is not right if such aspirants are not allowed to write the exam. If any such aspirant is disallowed by the CBSE, then he or she should approach the court to get justice.”
