NEET requirement for doing MBBS abroad to affect Kashmir too

Srinagar, Feb 14: Making the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) mandatory for medical education in foreign universities would also affect the Kashmiri students aiming to study abroad.
Citing absence of a proper screening of candidates at the time of admissions, the union Health Ministry on Tuesday made it compulsory for students going for medical courses including MBBS and BDS even in foreign universities.
Saying that a good number of students would “tamper their class 12 mark sheets” to meet the eligibility for the medical courses at various foreign universities, Ashfaq Zehgeer who runs the career consultancy, ‘C-Mars’ in uptown Parraypora, remarked, “Definitely…The number of students will drastically come down from now on”.
Every year, more than 2,500 students from the state on an average take admissions in medical courses in foreign universities, Zehgeer said.
But post the union government’s dictum, Zehgeer said, “I do not think the number would remain even half”.
The likely dwindling number of students aside, Zehgeer however feels that the decision to make NEET mandatory for medical courses in foreign universities “is a big step forward”.
“The plus point is that it will put an end to fraud cases. Now on, such students will have to produce their NEET scorecard at the time of admission. There is no room for a fake NEET score,” Zehgeer added.
Agreeing with Zehgeer on the imminent slump in the number of such students, Showkat Ahmad, CEO ‘Bright Career Consultancy’ in Karan Nagar, said, “Now the NEET would determine a candidate’s capability. So far, the students would take admissions in the medical courses in the foreign universities randomly.”
Every year, around 1,000 students from the valley, Showkat said, take admission in foreign universities for doing MBBS alone.
“Now on, only deserving candidates would be able to make it to foreign universities for pursuing the medical courses,” added Showkat.
Basharat Hussain, who runs his career consultancy in city centre Lal Chowk also said the number of students would come down.
He too agreed that the decision to make NEET mandatory for medical aspirants in foreign universities would “help in the long run”.
Hussain said that around 800 students from valley alone had taken admission in medical courses in various foreign universities in 2017.