Kolkata: Thousands of medical aspirants from Bengal, who had demanded the inclusion of various premier institutions like AIIMS and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) under the fold of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), have expressed their happiness after the Union Health Ministry made it mandatory for every medical college in the country to admit students through the NEET examination. The AIIMS and JIPMER, who were out of the ambit of the NEET, will now have to enroll candidates through the NEET examination. Earlier, these institutions used to enjoy the freedom of conducting their own entrance examinations. Many medical aspirants from Bengal had raised the demand for a single-level medical entrance examination for premier institutions as well. The candidates said they faced difficulties while preparing for various examinations. Dr AK Maity, a city-based doctor from Kolkata and an expert in the field, wrote to the Prime Minister and the Union Health Minister drawing the attention of the Centre so that NEET can be applied for the AIIMS and JIPMER. Apart from a few, most of the medical colleges in the country admit candidates on the basis of their ranks in the NEET. Soubhik Majumdar, a medical aspirant from the city, said following the announcement by the Centre, they no longer need to prepare for different medical entrance tests as it becomes difficult for them as the syllabi are also different. "We are happy that the Centre has come up with the new idea where all medical aspirants have to go through the NEET. AIIMS and JIPMER will now select their candidates from the merit list published by the National Testing Agency, which conducts the NEET. It will be immensely helpful for medical aspirants as they no longer need to prepare for different syllabi," Majumdar said. It may be mentioned here that around 75,000 candidates from Bengal appear in the NEET every year. NEET is a single-level medical entrance examination conducted in the country for the selection of successful candidates. But some premier institutions were kept out of the ambit of NEET by the Union Health Ministry. The new system will be introduced from the next year. The inclusion of AIIMS and JIPMER in the ambit of NEET exam will also have a bearing on the cut off marks, feels Dr Maity. "The Centre should allow the AIIMS/JIPMER/states to shortlist the students through re-examination of NEET (UG) qualified students that is practiced in Armed Forced Medical College in Pune," Dr Maity said. The NEET will be conducted on May 3 next year. This is for the third time, the National Testing Agency is conducting the examination. Candidates must register through the official website — www.ntaneet.nic.in.

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