Deemed universities offering MBBS told to use Neet

The University Grants Commission (UGC) directed all deemed universities offering MBBS and BDS programmes on Friday to admit students based on the all-India merit list of the National Eligibility Entrance Test (Neet).

The educational institutions have also been asked to participate in the common counselling, for admission to medical courses, conducted either by the respective state governments or the Central government after the declaration of the Neet results.

In a notification to all deemed universities, the UGC said that if the state government is unable to hold the common counselling, or the deemed universities offering MBBS or BDS were not covered in the counselling, they would have to put up a common system of admission.

“In the case of medical colleges, the Medical Council of India is the appropriate statutory authority. As such, all the admissions in the medical institutes of institutions deemed to be universities have to be made through Neet, which is prescribed by the Medical Council of India for such institutions,” UGC deputy secretary Sunita Siwach said in the notice. The notice also said, “In case the appropriate statutory authority has specified the process of selection for admission to any course or programme of study in any institution which includes conducting competitive admission test for ascertaining the competence of any person to pursue such course, in that case, no person shall be admitted to such programme in such institution, except through an admission test conducted by a recognised body or such institution or a group of institutions which has been authorised by the Central government or a state government or any statutory authority.” The UGC made it clear that all admissions were subject to the aforesaid stipulations and compliance.