The Assam Cabinet has decided to make important changes to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) to ensure a fair exam process.
The state government will ask the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Ministry of Education to apply these changes, which include:
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1.Conducting NEET only in government-run exam centres
2. District authorities supervising the exam process
3. Biometric verification of students before the exam
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Concerns About Student Knowledge
After a Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shared concerns from medical college faculty. They reported that many students who score high marks in NEET lack proper academic and practical knowledge.
A probe by the Special Branch found that most exam centres are in private institutes instead of government institutions. The Assam government had not interfered earlier since NEET is managed from Delhi, but now it wants the exam to be conducted only in government schools and colleges.
Talks With Central Government
The Assam government has asked the Chief Secretary to communicate these decisions to the NTA Director General and Union Education Secretary. CM Sarma will also personally discuss the matter with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Char Area Quota Removed
From the 2025-26 session, Assam will remove the special quota for students from Char areas (riverine islands) in medical admissions under the Assam MBBS/BDS Rules 2017.
New Rules for Medical Colleges
The government plans to amend the law for Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences (SSUHS). Under the new rules, any nursing, dental, pharmaceutical, or healthcare college must:
Get national security clearance from the Home Department before opening
Follow secular principles and avoid any form of religious conversion
Regulating Private Coaching Centres
To control private coaching institutes, the Assam government will introduce a new bill in the ongoing budget session.
Additionally, the Cabinet has also approved land for two mega industrial parks in Kamrup and Morigaon districts to boost economic growth.