The Supreme Court on Thursday paved the way for a common entrance test for MBBS, BDS and PG courses through the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET).

The Centre and Medical Council of India (MCI) had said the All India Pre-Medical Test for May would be treated as NEET-1 and the second phase would be treated NEET-2, which will be held on July 24. The combined result was scheduled for August 17. The SC cleared the schedule proposed by the Centre.

The decision to hold the entrance exam through NEET was earlier opposed by states including Tamil Nadu and Association of Karnataka Medical Colleges saying it is illegal and unconstitutional.

On Thursday, the court was hearing a PIL filed by NGO Sankalp Charitable Trust. In its petition, the NGO said that the Centre, MCI and CBSE were dilly-dallying in implementing the court’s order on implementing the National Eligibility Entrance Test.

The petitioner said that according to a research conducted by the NGO, it was found that 90 entrance examinations were being held by private and government authorities separately which resulted in shelling out lakhs of rupees in taking the examination.

Reactions:

What a mess our Judiciary creates. Sudden imposition of #NEET when students arent preparing + varied curriculum + minority exemptions

— Reality Check India (@realitycheckind) April 28, 2016

Such drastic changes in the exam structure JUST one week prior to the exam. Kudos to the Indian education system. #NEET

— Jinal Kapadia (@jinalkapadia_) April 28, 2016

Thomas Edison : Single sheet of paper can’t decide my future

Indian Government : Challenge Accepted! #NEET

— Shasheesh Purohit (@Shasheesh97) April 28, 2016

Phle hi General walo ki mushkil kam thi qa jo ye naya order hme backward krne k liye aa gya#NEET
Hume Quota fir Court ne Maara..

— Gurudutt Tyagi Insan (@TyagiGurudutt) April 28, 2016