Why Has the Mamata Government Stopped Bengal Medical Entrance Exam Admissions?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Indefinite suspension of WB NEET UG counselling raises concerns.
- Legal complications related to OBC certificates are a primary cause.
- Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar criticizes the state government.
- Students' futures are uncertain due to this halt.
- State plans to challenge High Court's ruling in the Supreme Court.
Kolkata, August 19 (NationPress) Union Minister of State for Education and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Sukanta Majumdar, has criticized the government led by Mamata Banerjee for the indefinite suspension of the West Bengal (WB) NEET Undergraduate (Medical and Dental) counselling and admission process.
On his official social media account X on Monday, Union Minister Majumdar shared a copy of the West Bengal government notice dated August 18.
"Under the guise of an 'Urgent Notice', the West Bengal government has halted the WB NEET UG Medical Dental Counselling and Admission process without providing any valid explanation! The future prospects of medical students in the state have been thrown into uncertainty," he stated.
The former West Bengal BJP President raised concerns regarding the abrupt halt of the admission process.
"What prompted the sudden suspension of the admission counselling that had already commenced? Is this yet another maneuver to cater to narrow political interests by unfairly favoring a specific group under the pretext of reservation?" Union Minister Majumdar questioned.
The urgent notice from the West Bengal government's Director of Medical Education stated, "The WB NEET UG Medical Dental 2025 Counseling/Admission process has been suspended until further notice. All parties are hereby informed accordingly."
However, no rationale was provided for the abrupt cessation of the admission process.
Sources indicated that the decision stemmed from legal challenges related to the OBC certificate notification case, which is currently under review by the Supreme Court.
The OBC certificate issue has already delayed the announcement of West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE) results, placing the futures of countless students in jeopardy.
Recently, Justice Kaushik Chanda of the Calcutta High Court annulled the previously published merit list and mandated the creation of a new one within 15 days, based on the pre-2010 list of 66 OBC communities.
The court also ruled that OBC students should receive the earlier seven percent reservation quota.
In response, the state government chose to contest the High Court's decision before the Supreme Court.
On July 28, the Supreme Court granted an interim stay on the Calcutta High Court ruling in this matter.
On August 11, however, the apex court postponed the case for a month due to time constraints and rejected the West Bengal government's plea for an expedited hearing.
With the Supreme Court's hearing now deferred, Justice Chanda's order remains in effect for the time being.