Update, 26 Nov 2019: NEET 2020 To Be Only Medical Entrance Exam, AIIMS and JIPMER Cancelled: Confirmed News. Read more.
Buzz about AIIMS and JIPMER medical entrance exams being cancelled for 2020 has taken over the academia. News is, that the MBBS entrance exams for All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) shall cease to exist; and that AIIMS and JIPMER are being merged under NEET.
Let us take two questions one by one.
Previous News: AIIMS and JIPMER under NEET 2020
First question: Are AIIMS and JIPMER cancelled?
Answer to this question is yes. The National Medical Commission Bill states under chapter IV, point 14 (1) “There shall be a uniform National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to the undergraduate and postgraduate super-speciality medical education in all medical institutions which are governed by the provisions of this Act”. It further says “Provided that the uniform National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to the undergraduate medical education shall also be applicable to all medical institutions governed under any other law for the time being in force.”
Must Read: Know all about NEET 2020
Which brings us to the second question: Are AIIMS and JIPMER cancelled for 2020?
Answer to this question is that insofar, reports point to the affirmative. The first PTI news story that carried this information states, “Vardhan also informed that the common national entrance test NEET which will be applicable to institutes of national importance like AIIMS will come into force from the next academic year.”
As can be seen, the statement uses the term next academic year, which for all intents and purposes should mean 2020-21 (the ongoing one being 2019-20).
The basis of the change – AIIMS and JIPMER coming under NEET, and the two exams being cancelled – is the NMC bill. However the NMC bill does not provide a timeline for the change pertaining to NEET becoming the only medical entrance exam. Even though the same bill has clearly stated that the NEXT exam (exit exam after MBBS) will be implemented in 3 years.
The conclusion
If all the reports turn out to be true, then indeed AIIMS and JIPMER are cancelled for 2020. However changes in medical entrance exams in India have never been too easy to implement. How students, academia, educationists, states and everyone else takes to the announcement and what would be the final decision, shall be clear only when something comes in written on any of the official websites or papers.
India has over 15 lakh medical aspirants who compete in NEET, AIIMS, JIPMER exams every year. The limited seats and the nature of the profession makes it extremely difficult for individuals to get admission.
The single entrance exam will mean a single counselling. Which in turn may result in better management of ensuring that seats do not remain empty.
Cancellation of AIIMS and JIPMER have their own pros and cons. What are your views? Is the decision good or bad? Share your views in comments below.
