Srinagar, May 10 (KNS): The government on Tuesday said that conducting of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to MBBS and BDS would have no impact on the state.
Addressing a presser here t Information department, the government spokesman and Education Minister, Naeem Akhtar told reporters that the recent order by Supreme Court for conduct of NEET for admission to MBBS and BDS courses would have no impact on the state with regards to composition of students.
Nayeem said that only exam conducting agency for MBBS and BDS entrance test would change from BOPEE to CBSE.
NEET will only conduct examination via CBSE while rest of the procedure will be done by the Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE).
“The Law Department has studied the SC order and found that the present position in our medical colleges will continue to remain as such,” Akhtar said.
He said that the state has successfully pleaded the case with Supreme Court on the basis of its special position.
“We have been allowed to continue with our eligibility criteria wherein the first point is that only state subjects should be selected for state medical colleges. No non-local student would be admitted in the state medical colleges and all the reservations that were in vogue earlier would continue to remain in practice,” he said.
Akhtar said that NEET won’t affect the right of students of Jammu and Kashmir. “BOPEE will continue to exist and it is them who will do counseling and allot medical colleges to students. NEET’s role would be limited to determination of standards and conduct of exam,” he said.
He said that even if 10000 students qualify after appearing NEET, only students from J&K would be selected for state medical colleges.
Meanwhile, amid controversy over proposal for creation of Sainik Colonies in Kashmir, the state government said that idea was floated during Omar-led government and present regime has rejected this controversial proposal.
Akthersaid the proposal to create Sainik Colony in Kashmir was initiated by the Omar-led government. “There is no land available in the state and the government has clearly rejected the proposal,” he said.
“The process to establish Sainik Colony in the state was initiated during a meeting of Rajya Sainik Board headed by Governor and attended by the then Chief and vice chairman of the Board Minister Omar Abdullah,” he added.
He said that later several meeting were held on the matter and the then CM Omar-Abdullah had never objected for its creation.
Nayeem said that the entire process aimed at establishing the Sainik Colony started with the conduct of 73rd meeting of J&K Rajya Sainik Board on 01 March 2011.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel“The Board works for safeguarding the interests of retired forces personnel. In that meeting which was attended by the Governor and the then Chief Minister and other officials, a request was put forward for establishing a Sainik Colony on the pattern of Jammu Sainik Colony,” he said while referring the official documents.
He said that in 74th board meeting held on 02 March 2012, requirement of 150 Kanals of land was forwarded to be approved and it was suggested that appropriate bylaws be made in this regard. Governor and the then Chief Minister attended the meeting besides other officials. “On 09 April 2013, 75th Board meeting of J&K Rajya Sainik Board was held, wherein five locations were identified for the establishment of the colony. The meeting was attended by the Governor, Chief Minister whose designation was made as First Vice President in this meeting, Second Vice President Lt Gen Sachdeva from Northern Command and other officials,” he said.
He said that in 76th meeting held on 21 April 2014, it was revealed that Divisional Commissioner has agreed on land allotment at Old Airfield site and the required documentation was under process for acquisition of said land for establishment of Sainik Colony. “In this meeting, Chief Minister was not present but Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of that time were present in the meeting,” he told reporters.
He said that similarly in 77th Board meeting held on 16 April 2015, Divisional Commissioner had agreed to transfer 173 kanals of land at Old Airfield, as approved in previous meeting. “However the number of aspirants from retired forced personnel had increased considerably by this time which required a land of 350 Kanals. The meeting was attended by Governor, the then Chief Secretary and other officials,” he said, adding that in 78th meeting held on 21 April 2016, the government categorically told the meeting that no land is available for establishment of the Sainik Colony.
He added that through official records it is clear that Omar Abdullah attended the meeting and were very keen to see the creation of these colonies.
“He (Omar Abdulla) attended all meetings and never spoke a word in its opposition. It was during his tenure as CM that land for these colonies were identified. If creation of Sainik Colony seems wrong to him now, was it right when he was at the helm of affairs,” he said, adding, “Present controversy in is the gift of Omar-led government.” (KNS)