No WBJEE for medical on May 17, declares state

A senior official of the state government said that it has decided not to conduct the state Joint Entrance Examinations for medical courses. He also said that senior officials of the health department would meet their counterparts from the Union Health Ministry in Delhi on May 16 to discuss various issues relating to NEET. They would raise the matter whether medical aspirants from the state would be able to write their answers in Bengali language.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board (WBJEEB) issued an announcement saying that it has decided not to conduct the examination on Biological Sciences paper scheduled to be held on May 17 from 9 am to 11.30 am. However, the examinations for Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics will be held as scheduled earlier.

The notice issued by the WBJEEB chairman also says that the candidates who applied for the Medical (type-M) examinations can, if they so desire, sit for Physics and Chemistry paper which will make them eligible for Pharmacy course. The modalities of refund of application fees and other details will be decided in due course and published on the WBJEEB website.

The notice states that the West Bengal government has no intention to conduct its own medical examinations, unlike some other states – namely Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka – that have already held their state level medical entrance examinations even after the SC verdict. 

The three states could appeal to a five judge Bench of the SC against the NEET order, arguing that as the state exams were prescheduled, students were taking them. However, West Bengal has no such plan.