New Delhi, April 29: In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court on Tuesday held that the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) will apply to private unaided minority professional colleges for admission of students to MBBS, MD, BDS and MDS courses. A bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra, Vineet Saran and M R Shah said the NEET does not violate rights of unaided/aided minority institutions under Articles 19(1) (g) and 30 read with 25, 26 & 29(1) of Constitution. NEET 2020 Application Correction Facility Extended, NTA Allows Students to Change Exam Centre.

"The rights under Article 19(1)(g) are not absolute and are subject to reasonable restriction in the interest of the student's community to promote merit, recognition of excellence, and to curb the malpractices. Uniform Entrance Test qualifies the test of proportionality and is reasonable. The same is intended to check several maladies which crept into medical education, to prevent capitation fee by admitting students which are lower in merit and to prevent exploitation, profiteering, and commercialisation of education," said the apex court. Entrance Exams Including JNU, UGC NET, PhD, NEET, TTE Postponed Amid Coronavirus Lockdown.

The three-judge bench said it cannot be said that NEET interfered with right to administer educational institutions by religious and linguistic minority groups. A petition was filed in 2012 challenging the constitutional validity of the NEET notifications issued by the Medical Council of India and the Dental Council of India. In 2016, these notifications were incorporated as statutory provisions as Sections 10D of the Medical Council of India Act and the Dentists Act, which were also challenged.

Here it may be noted that in 2013 a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Altamash Kabir struck down the NEET notifications of 2012. However, in 2016, a 5-judge bench headed by Justice Anil R Dave recalled the 2013 judgment in review, and opened the cases for fresh-hearing.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 29, 2020 04:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).