The January 31 notification for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), that excluded Urdu as a language for conducting the exam, might end the hopes of thousands of Urdu-medium aspirants. The exclusion of Urdu has drawn sharp criticism from various sections of the
society.
The notification gives students the option to write their answers in English, Hindi, Marathi,
Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil and Telugu. Later on, two more languages Oriya and
Kannada were added to the list.Within days of the issuance of the notification, protests erupted in Maharashtra and Telangana, which have a significant number of Urdu medium junior colleges. Around 19,000 students from
Urdu medium are enrolled in science stream.
Sheikh Nazbuddin, secretary of All Maharashtra Urdu Junior College Student and Teachers organisation, said, “From the very first day of the official announcement on NEET, which was made on December 21, 2016, we wrote many letters to health ministry and PMO. However, we got no written response. It shows that the government
is biased towards Urdu medium students and a particular community.”
He added that just 324 students appeared for NEET 2013 in Marathi medium but Marathi continues to be an option.
Days after the notification, Student Islamic Organisation (SIO), a student wing of Jamat-e-Islami Hind,
approached the Maharashtra government to demand the inclusion of Urdu language for the test.
Thousheef Ahmad, National Secretary of SIO said, “It is selective discrimination against Urdu
and the Muslim community. He stated that the central government has allowed NEET to be
conducted in Kannada language despite the fact that there are no Kannada junior science colleges,
whereas there are several Urdu junior colleges in Maharashtra alone. The basis on which the
government has given this decision is not clear.”
He added that earlier, the government was saying that there are no states demanding for the inclusion of Urdu as a medium for NEET.
Even Girish Mahajan, minister of medical education, Maharashtra, wrote a letter to Union health
minister J.P Nadda, stating that 168 Urdu medium junior colleges are running in Maharashtra
from which about 11,000 students appear for standard 12 every year.
“Considering the large number of students appearing for NEET, it is necessary that it should be conducted in Urdu
language also,” the letter from Mahajan stated. Later Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar
Rao also demanded from Centre to conduct NEET in Urdu.
“I would like to know as to why the Centre is still not including Urdu even after request from
Maharashtra and Telagana governments,” said Ahmad.
It is imperative to note that after NEET came into existence Maharashtra Common Entrance Test
has been cancelled. Ahmad feels that due to the absence of Urdu language in NEET, Muslim
students would not be able to compete in the exam which will further decrease their presence in
higher education.
There are around 1,100 seats of Unani , Ayurveda etc. which will also be fulfilled by NEET. On the other hand, 346 seats for BUMS reserved for Urdu speaking students which will be of no use if Urdu is not included as a medium in NEET.
On 24 th February SIO filed a petition in Supreme Court for urgent hearing of the case which
demanded inclusion of Urdu for conducting NEET but the apex court refused to hear the case
saying that it is not a big deal and the Urdu speaking students can appear next year.
In its plea, SIO sought that Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and CBSE be directed to make a
provision for Urdu as a medium in the exam for those who have already applied under compulsion before the last date of submission of forms.
Earlier, SIO lawyer Perwez Dabas and Ravindra S. Jaria, argued, “Exclusion of Urdu was arbitrary, unreasonable and violates Article 14 and 21 of the constitution.” In 2013, Central government came with the idea of NEET for conducting medical entrance in place of All India Pre Medical Entrance Test (AIPMT). Urdu was not there as well. However, in Ansari Mahin Fatima and Ors against the Union Of India-2013.
Apex court ordered government to conduct supplementary exam for Urdu medium students who
could not appear for the entrance due to absence of Urdu language.
While hearing the petition, Supreme Court ordered the Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India, Central Board Of Secondary Education and Central government to file its report till 10 th March. In reply Central
government, though agreeing to conduct NEET in Urdu language from the next academic year,
stated that it would not be possible to allow students to appear with Urdu as the medium in the
upcoming examinations.
for the same till 22nd March. Next hearing is scheduled for 26th March.The future of thousands
of students still hangs in the balance. They are looking upto to the Supreme Court to ensure their
right to fair and equal opportunity.
