There's relief for medicine and dentistry aspirants in Goa as the central government has written to Goa and other states informing that the national eligibility cum entrance exam (NEET) for the two courses will be introduced in 2013-14 and not in the current year.

Goa was one of many states to write to the Union government seeking exemption from NEET for 2012-13. In a letter to Goa dated December 30, 2011 the Union health under secretary said, "A number of state governments have requested this ministry for some time to switch to the new system of NEET for admissions to medical and dental courses, to enable students to acquaint themselves with the NEET syllabus."

The letter further states, "Accordingly, the ministry has decided to introduce NEET for admissions to undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental courses from the academic year 2013-14. Therefore, states may continue to follow the present procedure for admissions to the courses in 2012-13."

Admissions to the courses in Goa for 2012-13 will take place as per the aspirants' performance in the Goa common entrance test (GCET), as in the past. Goa, along with Maharashtra, had expressed fears that students would find the NEET syllabus too tough and vast to cope with and this could leave several state seats for the courses vacant.

Goa had written to Medical Council of India ( MCI) and Union health ministry requesting them to hold the exam for Goa from 2013 onwards. The centre had rejected Goa's and other states' request of relaxation at first stating that the fears were unfounded as the syllabus had been prepared in a manner that doesn't put any state at an advantage or disadvantage.

With officials in the Union government refusing to defer NEET for Goa students by one year, the state government had begun exploring legal options available to get the exemption. Persistent demands from states, however, forced the central government to change its stand. The Union government expects that NEET will bring uniformity in the admission process in dentistry and medicine courses all over the country.