The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government has approved a significant legislative move to abolish the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in the state. This decision was made during a state Cabinet meeting on Monday and involves a bill that will be presented to the Karnataka Vidhan Soudha.
The bill proposes to eliminate NEET and suggests either replacing it with a new medical entrance exam specific to Karnataka or integrating it with the existing Common Entrance Test (CET). This proposal aims to revert to the previous system of medical admissions based on Class 12 marks, which was in place before NEET's introduction.
This development comes amidst ongoing national controversies surrounding NEET-UG 2024, including allegations of irregularities and paper leak cases. The bill's approval reflects growing dissatisfaction with NEET, which has faced criticism for fairness and transparency.
In a parallel move, the Tamil Nadu government, led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), recently passed a resolution opposing NEET. They have urged the Central government to permit state governments to manage medical admissions independently. Several regional parties in Tamil Nadu have supported this resolution, citing issues with NEET and its impact on students.
The NEET-UG 2024 examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5, saw over 23 lakh candidates participating across numerous centers. The examination's credibility came under scrutiny when 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks, leading to widespread protests and calls for reform.
