NEET Verdict: This UP doctor's open letter will leave Modi govt red-faced

The Supreme Court's 28 April verdict gave the go-ahead for conducting the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2016-17 to preserve the sanctity of the medical profession despite strong opposition from various states.

As per the verdict, private colleges are restricted from conducting their own exams. Instead they have to admit students qualifying the NEET.

Several states reportedly sent the Central government a host of complaints. Strangely, the Modi government passed an ordinance unanimously against NEET.

An open letter by Sandeep Kumar Garg, a senior doctor from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, speaks volumes about this decision of the government.

Once again the common people of the country are helplessly watching the nexus of corrupt politicians rising from the party lines to unite for their own agenda. It is indeed disappointing to see them collude to make a law against something which prefers merit to money.

A historical judgment of the Supreme Court

Some are protesting in the name of the state's sovereignty while some are protesting the language issues faced by students. But the truth is that private medical colleges have infected the medical education in the country with the disease of demerit and has led to undesirable elements milk the billion-rupee industry. It is interesting to note that most private colleges are owned by politicians or their close relatives who have invested black money worth millions in them.

The lobby of private college owners will leave no stone unturned to get rid of NEET because if NEET II exam is upheld not only will they have to forego donations for admissions but also return crores of rupees taken earlier as donations. It's clear that NEET jeopardises the interests of these private college owners as they will suffer losses of millions of rupees. Its now an open secret that former chief justice Altamush Kabir gave a controversial judgment on the last day of his tenure cancelling NEET and pocketing Rs 300 crore. Fortunately, a very honest and upright bench warded off all pressures and reinstated NEET and became the saviour of lakhs of students and guardians by giving them an opportunity to appear in a fair exam. The parents were saved from shelling out Rs 30-40 lakh for undergraduate and Rs 1-2 crore for post graduate admissions in private colleges. This was historic moment of liberation from donation seats.

Chief Ministers of some states are lobbying against NEET II in the name of language problems faced by the students though they have in fact no concern for students. They only want to protect the interests of the private colleges of their states.The other reason is that during medical entrance exams at the state level, there is a lot of bungling and they have a vested interest here too.

It is worth noting that IITs admit via a common test - JEE and have been doing so for years now without any state objecting to it. There is no lobby to resist JEE. We have high hopes on you. You will not allow such gross injustice to happen; but with utter disappointment I have to say all your ministers are not honest. It is possible that some of your ministers and MPs have coughed up crores of rupees from the private medical college lobby and are misguiding you. If the ordinance for cancellation of NEET II is passed it will not only be severe disrespect of an honest, courageous and path changing judgment of SP but will be a black spot in the history of modern India like one caused by the ordinance in Shahbanu case.

Millions of students and parents will never forgive the Modi government for overturning the SC judgment of canceling NEET II through an ordinance.