Almost all around the world, the theory which states that 'CHANGE IS CONSTANT' has been proved to be true in most cases but however, it has failed in the case of the medical entrance exam.
With so many things that have been lined up for change, the only thing, at the moment, that remains the same for the medical candidate for securing MBBS seat in India is appearing and qualifying the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test which is commonly known as NEET.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test which is proposed by the Medical Council of India, is a common entrance test for candidates who are planning to study MBBS and BDS in India.
Fortunately or unfortunately, one can say that the establishment of the NEET has helped in constantly reducing the pressure on the medical aspirants who previously had to make preparations for various entrance exams that too depend on each college, university, and state.
The introduction of NEET has not only brought a change in this different exam pattern but it has also helped the medical education department in many other ways.
The MEDICAL COUNCIL of INDIA had emerged with a completely different idea of dissolving all the other different types of entrance exams that was been conducted in the country in order to secure a medical seat in government or private colleges and had introduced one and only common entrance exam in the country for the complete medical education sector ensuring that there is complete uniformity in the caliber set for securing admissions in different medical courses at different universities and colleges all around the country.
As of now, NEET does not include sectors of national importance such as JIPMER and AIMS. But however, with the establishment of the National Medical Commission, they too will be included soon under the range of NEET.
Previously, before the introduction of NEET entrance exam, on average, a medical aspirant had to take a minimum of 5 to 6 medical entrance exams in order to secure admission in any particular medical college or university which led to irrelevant mental stress on candidates.
The mental conditions among the aspirants are extremely severe because appearing for various entrance exams resulted in creating a lot of mental stress because appearing for various entrance exams would mean requiring huge efforts for preparing for all of them differently depending on their formats and previous exam test samples and that would most often create confusion among the aspirants because of this their mental state is affected leading to stress in them.
But, however with the introduction of NEET, the pressure has now been reduced for the medical aspirants as the students are only required to prepare for one common entrance exam which is applicable for all colleges and institutes except institutes of National Importance.
Everyone all around the globe, is aware of the fact that becoming a doctor in today's time not only requires huge efforts but a lot of money. The investment in this field starts right from the time when the candidate has entered his or her first year in college and has already decided to pursue MBBS after 12th. Aspirants are aware of the fact that in order to qualify for the NEET entrance exam they will have to prepare for at least two years and for the same reason they start enrolling in different coaching centers.
The passion for pursuing MBBS in INDIA is so strong that they don't even think about the money they are investing in these coaching centers.
Appearing for various different entrance exams starts with filling the application for a seat for taking the exam which consists of the purchase of forms and paying the entrance exams fees for all universities you are interested in studying your MBBS which means because of various entrance exams emerged the pressure of expenses on various exam forms and their different kind of coaching, which has now been completely over.
Discussing the earlier entrance exam pattern, now if we compare the AIPMT prelims test, the exam structure included answering 200 questions in 3 hours i.e. only 180 minutes that means not only a single minute could be given to one question by the candidates because of which many candidates would skip some of the questions.
Moving further, now if we compare the NEET entrance exam consists of 180 questions that also need to be answered in 180 mins which have increased the candidates per-question time frame to one minute per question.
So, that is the greatest benefit and advantage of the NEET entrance exam which has brought a major change in a medical aspirant's life.
Initially, there was always a possibility and threat of blocked seats and reservations with individual colleges and states conducting their own entrance exams based on different criteria which gradually brought down the number of seats that are available for deserving candidates.
But, however the introduction of NEET entrance exam, being the only entrance exam for securing a medical seat in India for both government and private colleges and universities, has increased the percentage of equal opportunity by permitting medical aspirants to be eligible for securing admissions in any state based on their merits and scores.
There was a tremendous increase in the fear among candidates that the establishment of NEET, it would affect the reservation system and make it extremely difficult for the students who come under a certain category to get admissions in any medical college in India.
But, however even after its introduction it has been noticeable that the reserved seats have been remaining the same. Although the only change here is that the criteria have shifted from class 12 scores to NEET scores.
There were many cases that had been reported due to scams and the medical seats being sold on donations, earlier when the medical aspirants could take admissions in Indian medical colleges without NEET.
Now, however with one and only common entrance exam, the count of such cases has come down subsequently thereby giving medical aspirants an opportunity and making it beneficial for the candidates for securing any medical course in India be it MBBS or BDS.
Clearing and qualifying on NEET requires medical aspirants to come under a position in the top 50 percentile which gives a confirmation that the deserving medical aspirants are at the beginning of the line for taking admission and securing a seat in any medical college or university. Moving further, with the establishment of the National Medical Commission, qualifying on the NEET exam will also make medical aspirants eligible for admission in the Institutes of National Importance which are JIPMER and AIMS. Not only this, but it will also help those candidates who are planning to pursue their MBBS COURSE FROM ABROAD or let us say students who are planning to study MBBS in Russia.
Hence, when one is discussing the benefits of the introduction of the NEET entrance exam, there are many positive changes that have been emerged in the lives of medical aspirants planning to study MBBS in India and MBBS in Abroad.
Thus, when talking about the advantages of qualifying NEET, all the above-mentioned important factors that enter into the mind provide equality in the admission procedure, uniformity in the admission process, better transparency, and equality for all the medical aspirants irrespective of whichever category they fall into. It also throws light on how the National Medical Commission has brought relief and a feeling of equality in the minds of medical aspirants who fall under the open category by the implementation of the one and only common entrance exam in the country for securing a medical seat in government or private colleges.
