SC lifts bar on results of common medical entrance exam

The apex court modified its December 13, 2012 order by which it had stated that the Medical Council of India, the Dental Council of India, as well as the States, Universities and other Institutions, will be entitled to conduct their respective examinations for MBBS, BDS and post-graduate courses, but shall not declare the results of the same, until its further orders.u00a0

The court said since it could not conclude the hearing on the issue within a stipulated period, it was modifying the order in the interest of the students and hospitals.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir said that the interest of hospitals has to be taken into consideration as post graduate students after their admissions are put on duty to attend to patients.

"In the interest of students and hospitals, we modify our December 13, 2012 order and allow the results to be declared on account of examination which has already been held," the bench also comprising justices A R Dave and Vikramajit Sen said.

After delivering the order, the bench clarified that the admissions will also go on for the current year where the examination has already been held. The bench also said it was not touching the matter where the examination has not been held.

It said if the December 13, 2012 order is not modified, large number of students would be adversely affected and lose a year.

The bench was hearing a batch of petitions questioning applicability of the Medical Council of India's decision to conduct the first-ever common entrance examination National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to both MBBS and post-graduate courses in medicine as well as dental courses.

The bench had earlier directed to transfer all petitions pending in various courts to it by January 15, 2013. The National Board of Examinations (NBE) had held the NEET-PG for post-graduate medical and dental courses in December 2012.
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