“The State Government would also request the NTA and the Ministry of Education to conduct the NEET under the direct supervision of the district commissioners and superintendents of police,” the Chief Minister said. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
“The Assam Government will urge the Centre to increase the security at NEET centres, including checking the biometrics of candidates at the gate, as it has been found that despite scoring high numbers in the medical entrance exam, the knowledge of many students is limited,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday (March 10, 2025).
Addressing a press conference here after a Cabinet meeting, Mr. Sarma said faculty members at medical colleges in the State had pointed out that students who cracked the entrance examinations with high numbers were not as good as they should have been.
“Many professors told us that many students’ practical or academic knowledge is very limited despite scoring high numbers in such a big examination. We had asked the Special Branch to probe the matter around one-and-a-half years ago,” he added.
Mr. Sarma said the police had informed the government that most of the entrance exam centres were in private institutes, not in government schools or colleges.
“We didn’t interfere so far as it is conducted by Delhi. The Cabinet today took three decisions, to request the Central government. The first is to hold the medical entrance exam only in government schools,” he added.
“The State government would also request the NTA and the Ministry of Education to conduct the NEET under the direct supervision of the district commissioners and superintendents of police,” the Chief Minister said.
Biometric testing
“The third request will be to have a biometric testing of the candidates before they enter the exam halls. If these steps are taken, I believe the medical examination process will be transparent,” he said.
Mr. Sarma said the government had authorised the Chief Secretary to contact the NTA Director General and Union Education Secretary to inform them of the Cabinet decisions.
The Chief Minister said he would personally discuss the matter with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The State Cabinet also approved the revocation of the quota for Char areas (riverine vegetative islands) of the Assam MBBS/BDS Rules 2017 from the 2025-26 session onwards.
“We have also decided to bring in an amendment to the Act related to Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences (SSUHS). This will mandate obtaining national security clearance from the Home Department before the opening of nursing, dental, pharmaceutical or any healthcare colleges,” Mr. Sarma said.
“They would also have to follow secularism and there should not be any direct or indirect involvement with conversion,” he said.
“The Government would also introduce a Bill during the ongoing budget session of the Assembly to control and regulate the private coaching institutes, mushrooming in the State,” he stated.
“The Cabinet has allotted land to the Industry Department for the establishment of two mega industrial parks in Kamrup and Morigaon districts,” the Chief Minister said.
To enhance the industrial ecosystem and attract investors to the region, the Cabinet also approved the setting up of an industrial park, including a smart township in Hajo of Kamrup.
To streamline the driving licence issuance process, the Cabinet had approved the establishment of Accredited Driver Training Centres with automated driving testing tracks in each of the 126 constituencies.
Mr. Sarma said the Cabinet had approved a proposal to make efforts regarding Majuli and Sivasagar so that they get the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Besides, he announced that the Assam government would confer the highest State civilian award ‘Assam Baibhav’ on former Eastern Army Commander Lt. Gen. (retd) Rana Pratap Kalita.
“He is the first Assamese to reach this position in the Indian armed forces. No one from the State had ever attained such a post earlier,” he added.
Mr. Sarma also announced the recipients’ names for the second highest civilian award ‘Assam Saurav’ and ‘Assam Gaurav’, which would be given at a function on March 30 by the Assam Governor.
“A total of six eminent personalities had been selected for conferring the ‘Assam Saurav’ award for this year, while 13 individuals and three organisations would receive the ‘Assam Gaurav’ titles,” he added.
Published – March 10, 2025 02:28 am IST
