Odisha Govt rejects NEET medical entrance test

Orissa government on Monday said it prefers Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) for admission to under graduate courses in medical colleges to National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

Views of people who are not supporting NEET –

“We prefer JEE to NEET as students of Odisha may not compete with others in national level. We require more Odia doctors as they will serve in rural pockets of the state,” said health and family welfare secretary P K Mohapatra.

“It would have been tough competing with students from states such as Delhi, Maharashtra or Karnataka,” said Amlan Ashutosh, a medical aspirant.

“With a single national-level test, most students of Odisha would have preferred to study in other states, which could have resulted in many seats falling vacant. It would have been difficult for the government to retain outstation candidates for the compulsory rural service after completion of their studies,” said L.K. Mahapatra, coordinator of Aakash, a coaching institute in the capital.

“Since OJEE followed the state syllabus, it would be easier for most students of Plus Two to crack the test. “Each state is governed by its own teaching standards and courses. A centrally-administered test would have been unfair on us,” Amritanshu Nayak, a student said.

Views of people who are supporting NEET –

“We would have to prepare for more than one exam. Multiple tests mean extra stress,” said Renuka Reddy, an aspiring MBBS candidate.

Saroj Mishra, mother of a college-goer, said: “This is going to hit the standards of medical education in the state. If our boys don’t compete with the best in the country, we are going to have substandard doctors. It reflects poorly on the state”.