New Delhi, March 7
The Supreme Court today directed the government to hold an all-India entrance examination for students seeking to join medical colleges for pursuing undergraduate or postgraduate courses.

A Bench comprising Justices RV Raveendran and AK Patnaik issued the order after the Medical Council of India (MCI) contended that the government was trying to back out from the scheme after giving approval to the MCI notification in that regard.

The apex court clarified that last year it had also approved the national eligibility-cum-entrance examination for admission of students to all colleges, including minority and privately run institutions, across the country.

The all-India examination is aimed at reducing the burden on students, many of whom, at present, take dozens of such tests conducted by colleges situated in various states.

If any college or anyone else was opposed to the common examination, the only option left to them was to challenge the validity of the notification, the Bench clarified.

Senior advocate Amrender Sharan and Somesh Jha, appearing for the MCI, drew the attention of the Bench that the Centre on August 13 last year had taken the stand that MCI could go ahead with the implementation of the single-entrance criterion and the regulations were notified in December.

On February 18, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it was in consultation with the state governments to resolve differences on the issue.

Though the court, in an interim order on December 18 last year, had allowed the MCI to go ahead with the CET, it had decided to hear various stakeholders as state governments, private medical colleges and institutions run by minority communities might have some objections.

“We make it clear that the pendency of the application shall not come in the way of the MCI notifying any regulations framed by it, in accordance with the law, nor come in the way of anyone challenging the validity of such regulations, if and when brought into effect in accordance with law,” the Bench had said.

The Bench, during the earlier hearing, had said there were certain minority institutions like Christian Medical College that conducted their own entrance tests. The Bench had favoured a cautious approach on the issue, saying the students were a “volatile” community.

(With PTI inputs)